London Theatre
by Jester Fraser
Summary: Satine even thought she was dying too! But she wakes up two hours after curtain and after her 'death' she is told Christian commited suicide, so she leaves the Moulin Rouge in hopes for a new life.
1. Default Chapter

**The London Theatre!**

Disclaimer: Don't own any of it, how ever sad it is, I do not. I'd be dining with my favorite actors and actresses if I did!

A/N: Words written in _italics_ with out the quotes ("") around them are the thoughts of Satine.

Words written in **_bold italics_** with single quote marks ('') around them are the thoughts of Christian.

Words in _italics_ with double quotes ("") around them are past quotes from the original story.

~~Begin Chapter~~

Satine slowly regained her consciousness, the blackness becoming less dark and the light shining through… the light…the light of…a lamp?!

Satine shot up and looked around. She was in…the backroom of the Moulin Rouge?! She was still dressed in her white Hindu Courtesan dress but her headdress wasn't there. She looked around a bit, making sure she wasn't in heaven.

_No_, she thought, _heaven wouldn't let me in…_

Well, this certainly wasn't the fiery furnace! She got up and walked to the door and heard some sobbing. She gasped a little then; the corset was too damned tight for her liking. She pulled her hand back and pulled loose some strings through her dress. She breathed more calmly now. She decided to go look for the others and Christian.

She walked out onto the brightly lit stage, but the chairs of the audience were empty. She saw all the gloomy faces of everyone, but she didn't see Christian, or Toulouse, or Satie, or Tork or the Argentinean. She walked next to Zidler.

"Harold, where is Christian?" she asked. Zidler didn't look at her and shrugged.

"I'm betting he is with Satine now, dead," he said his voice full of sorrow.

"What?!" Satine gasped. Zidler looked at her, then after a few seconds he realized who she was.

"Satine!" He gasped. "You're alive?! On no! What happened? We all thought you were dead! Christian said he was going to kill himself!"

"No!" Satine gasped, tears starting to form and fall from her eyes. "Oh God, no!"

"I'm so sorry, Satine," Zidler said. "We even heard a gunshot from his room."

"No…" Satine started to cry. Everyone was then surrounding her, their eyes wide and all happy to see her, even Nini.

"Everyone back up," Zidler said sternly. "Give the girl some room!"

Marie came up and put a comforting arm around her. She whispered to her, "I'm so sorry, Satine. The doctor said you had consumption, what he gave us to help with the coughing; it must have had some sleeping potion in it as well. It must have made you pass out like a dead girl after your cough attack."

"Satine, you must leave this place," Zidler said his voice full of foreboding. "The Duke was mad with jealousy, if he found you alive he would kill Toulouse, Tork, Satie and the Argentinean. They were the most rebellious against his wishes, aside from Christian; he could destroy everything we have here."

"But without Satine, not many men would bother to go to Moulin Rouge anymore!" Nini said. "She's all we got that makes this place twice as entertaining!"

"I know that Nini," Zidler said. "But I don't think that Satine is even safe from the Duke now. You must leave, Satine, for yourself, for your friends…for the memory of Christian."

Satine merely nodded in agreement; for herself, for her friends, and for the memory of Christian. She had to leave this place, the memories of Christian would cause her too much pain. Zidler laid out the plans as he, Satine and Marie headed to Satine's dressing room. 

"Satine, take the diamonds you've collected from all your numbers and take your favorite dresses with you. Move out of Paris, out of France! Don't give use a second glance! Leave this country to Spain, Italy or Germany! Go where the Duke will not find you, where no one you know will find you. Begin your life again," Zidler said. "Make it better than the underworld here. Don't take up the life of a courtesan again, my little strawberry, live a life better than here." 

"I will, Harold," Satine said taking a few dresses from her wardrobe and filling her purse with the large, medium and small diamonds. Then she thought a moment and took two large diamonds, two medium diamonds, and three small ones out and put them on the dresser.

"What are you doing? You'll need all the diamonds you have," Harold said.

"No, Harold, I am giving you seven diamonds to help you get on the road to get out of debt," Satine said. "You can rebuild the Moulin Rouge, an go back to how everything used to be, before The Duke, before Christian and even before me."

Harold's eyes were full of sorrow and pity for her; he nodded and took the diamonds. He then continued, "Go wherever, Satine, just don't go to a place like this ever again."

"I won't go to anyplace like this," Satine said smiling with weak humor, "I might end up in another situation like this."

Harold looked down in sorrow, "I am so sorry, Satine."

"It's not your fault, Harold," Satine said. "I have to go now."

She had everything packed in a few minutes and walked out the theatre or the former Moulin Rouge. She heard singing, light singing from the windmill, she looked up.

She couldn't see the singer, but heard their words, "There was a boy, a very strange enchanted boy. They say he wandered very far, very far, over land and sea. A little shy and sad of eye, but very wise was he. And then one day, a magic day he passed my way. While we spoke of many things, fools and kings, this he said to me, 'The Greatest Thing You'll Ever Learn, Is Just to Love and Be Loved in Return.'"

Satine had said the last part with the singer under her breath. A tear rolled down her cheek, a single lone tear, she wiped it away, pulling her coat tighter around her and walked on. Out on the street she hailed a cab.

"The Paris Train Station," She said. "A quickly please."

"Yes, ma'am," the cab driver said and cracked his whip at the horses as they took off at a quick paced trot.

~~In Christian's Apartment~~

Christian heard Toulouse's singing, and he wasn't happy with it. He sat on his bed, glaring at the window. He heard a voice call for a taxi, the voice sounded very much like Satine's voice, he thought am moment, but shook his head. It couldn't be her she was dead. Then he found himself at the window looking down at the street where the cab was pulling down quickly, he had missed seeing whot eh person was, but then his mind chastised him.

**_'It isn't her! She died right in your arms, on stage, everyone but the audience saw it!'_** his mind yelled. Christian scowled and yelled in frustration as he scratched at his head as if trying to make it shut-up. He looked over on his nightstand where the gun was.

He had already tried it, but ended up shooting the windmill instead. The gun would make his mind shut-up though, a bullet through the head, yes it'd work. Christian took a few steps towards it but declined from taking it.

From the distance of a few feet, the cold black metal looked appealing, but daunting. It was his ticket to the true underworld, the fiery furnace, where most of the dead were. But he didn't want to go, not because he feared it, but he feared that his love would actually be there, in that eternal torment.

He sat back down on his bed and continued to glare out the window. How he longed for a bottle of Absinthe now, to have the cool yet warm liquid touch his tongue and send him into a drunken bliss. But he didn't want to go out, he didn't want to see Zidler or the Argentinean, or Tork or Satie and he definitely didn't want to see Toulouse. Toulouse would only want to fill his head with more of the Bohemian Revolutionary preachings.

He was starting to truly doubt if he would even continue to be a Bohemian Revolutionary. He still believed in Truth, Beauty, Freedom and Love…but he didn't believe anymore, that love could overcome all obstacles…

Love, it couldn't over come consumption, what could then?

Christian sighed heavily; he knew that he would never get over Satine. Life was so wonderful with Satine in the world. How horrible it was now, after loosing her. So why hadn't he pulled the trigger at his head?

_"Tell our story."_

The words of Satine echoed in his head, she had just said them two hours ago. Already the world seemed to have gone through an Apocalypse. A cold snowy front set in, the world was covered in a blanket of white snow and above the world was a grim looking fray sheet of cloud stretching as far as the eye could see.

He listened to Toulouse's singing, he sang the same thing over and over again, after a while it got him annoyed. He wanted to shut him up; he grabbed the gun and aimed at the windmill of the Moulin Rouge. He pulled the trigger; the gun jammed though, he couldn't fire. Christian yelled in frustration and tossed the gun aside. He sat at the windowsill, behind the sign of L'amour. A few tears escaped his eyes; even after two hours, he hadn't shed all his tears, they would continue forever.

"Never knew…I…could feel…like this…it's like I've never seen the sky…before," he whispered in an off tune voice under his breath. He continued to softly sing "Come What May" as the snow blew around. His faze was flushed with red from tears and from the coldness.

~~At the station~~

There was a two-hour wait before Satine could board the train and leave north of Paris. Satine knew just where she would go. She would go north, and then take a ship to London, England. She wanted to be where Christian use to be. She wanted to start her new life, where Christian old life use to be. 

As Satine sat in her seat near the window a few sovs escaped her. The man across from her looked at her with sad eyes.

"Are you alright, miss?" he asked in a kind voice. Satine looked at him. He was a good-looking young man, with short hair that seemed to spike a little. He had blue-green eyes, a slim face. He had a slim body and was dressed in a blue suit, similar to what Christian wore. Satine nodded.

"I'm' just going to miss my friends," she said. The man nodded in understanding. 

"I know what you mean," he said. "I've only lived here since summer, but it was the best six months I've ever had in my life. I met many new and interesting people and made great friends with fellow Bohemians. By the way, my name is Jude Latter."

"I'm Sa-" she paused a moment. If she was going to make a new life, she would have to have a different name. "I am Sara Christian."

A good name, she thought to herself; Sara after the great Sara Bernhard, and Christian after her only love. They shook hands.

"You're a bohemian?" Satine asked. Jude nodded.

"Yes, I lived my last six months in Paris right outside of the Center of the Bohemian Worlds," Jude said. "Many of my friends told me to go to Moulin Rouge, but I didn't."

"Why not?"

"Because I am a Bohemian unlike any other! I don't drink Absinte or anything alcoholic, I don't smoke, I don't sleep with as many women as there are stars at night. I prefer to just uphold the belief of Beauty, Freedom, and Truth and above all, Love. I don't think I can find love in the Moulin Rouge," Jude said. Satine laughed a little.

"You'd be surprised," She said softly.

"what?"

"Nothing."

"So where you headed?" Jude asked taking out his sketchbook and some charcoal.

"London."

"London, hehe, that's where I'm headed too," Jude smiled. He had such a beautiful smile and charming as well, it rivaled Christian's smile. "I lived there before here. But my father passed away and I'm his only child, I inherit whatever he left me, which is everything. But if everything didn't include the family business, then I'd be staying in Paris and live a penniless existence as a painter."

"So you paint? I know many painters," Satine said. "You draw too, I see."

"Yes, but when I paint, I usually don't have an under drawing, I just paint." Satine was semi-impressed, she wouldn't be fully impressed until she saw one of his paintings. She knew well that most painters have under drawings they do and when they are satisfied with it they pain over it.

"May I see some of your works?" she asked.

"Sure, after I'm finished with this drawing," Jude said sketching quickly looking up once to say "yes" to her. He finished in just two minutes. He showed it to Satine. "There."

Satine gasped, it was beautiful. It was a drawing of her, fully shaded and valued and accurate to every last detail. But it was the eyes that caught her attention; somehow, Jude had captured the sadness, the sorrow, the pain in her eyes. She reached out to the sketch and took it up into her hands, "It's beautiful, it's so realistic!"

"Thanks," Jude said he blushed slightly.

"How long have you been drawing?" Satine asked.

"Every since I was two," Jude said. I'm twenty-five now."

"Ah, you're very good," Satine said as she looked through the rest of the portfolio, starting from the beginning. She then saw a picture, just a few pages from the beginning, it was a picture of Christian…he was smiling that charming cmile of his, and his eyes showed happiness and bliss from natural highs, not Absinthe generated. He was wearing a top hat, and the shoulders were shown with a suit, Satine could tell it was when she first met him. "Do you know hime?"

Jude looked at the picture and shook his head, "no, not personally. I was just doing head drawings of random people, but I was looking through a crowd near the Moulin Rouge when many people were leaving, I was looking for alit in that crowd of darkness and I saw him leaving."

"'Crowds of darkness'?" Satine repeated. Jude nodded.

"Yes, many of the men there weren't bohemians and only showed the light of lust in their eyes. Lights of lust, anger, hatred, captivity, power hunger, everything that isn't for Truth, Freedom, Beauty, and Love," Jude said. "I could only describe them as mad, dark men with blackened souls."

Satine nodded in understanding. She had once had that life in her eye, until Christian sang to her when she had mistaken him for The Duke; it wasn't just an act. "I have seen him before."

"Have you? Are you friends with him?"

"I was," Satine choked back a sob. "I was his friend-" _A little bit more than that _"before he died."

Jude was silent a moment. He looked down a bit, then back up at Satine, "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you," she said barely above a whisper. Satine continued to look through the sketchbook and then saw Harold Zidler holding a bos of light bulbs and a wacky grin on his face. She smiled a bit, recalling when Harry had walked up in the Moulin Rouge one morning with a box of light bulbs.

"Puppet!" Harold called enthusiastically and put the box on a table and opened it, revealing numerous light bulbs. "Look here, more light bulbs for a more electric show!"

The reaction had had gotten from Marie wasn't what he was hoping for; Marie had bitchslapped him for wasting money on what she said was the devil. Satine found if ironically humorous that Marie was calling the light bulbs the devil and wouldn't stand it in the Moulin Rouge, yet what happened at night was hell itself.

Satine flipped a few more pages and saw Toulouse with the other three; they were obviously having a good time rehearsing the original "Spectacular! Spectacular!" written by Audrey. It was only obvious that they were rehearsing that script due to the look of distaste on the Argentinean's face. He had always yelled at Audrey complaining and saying, "This script's shit!"

Satine smiled at the memory and flipped more pages when she came upon the sketch of the Elephant, with two people in the window, kissing. She looked at it a bit more closely and then saw…It was her and Christian! Satine the closed the book, not really wanting to go into any more memories, especially ones that held more emotional times. Even if the emotions at those times were ecstatic and wonderful. 

"They are very good," satine said hading Jude his sketchbook. Jude blushed alittle more as he took back his sketch book.

"Thank you," he said. "I was hoping to see 'Spectacular! Spectacular!' because I heard it was an actual play and it was entirely electric and an entirely bohemian play at the Moulin Roufe, but I couldn't. Before I could go, I got a telegram telling of my father's death so I had to pack and get a ticket to the next train out of Paris."

"Well, you didn't miss much," Satine said. "My friend, the one who died, was the writer of the show."

"Oh," Jude said, not really knowing what to say though. "How did he die?"

"He-" Satine paused a moment to think. "He tripped and fell on a protruding nail. It went straight into his head. He died slowly, in his flat two hours after the show. The nail was quite long, I heard from someone who was there."

"Ah," Jude said. "I must have been painful. I won't discuss this any further if it pains you to speak about him."

"Thank you," she said. She looked back out the window. Jude stared at her for a while.

"So, uh, what did you do in Paris?" Jude asked.

"I was an actress," Satine said. It wasn't exactly a lie. "I was in 'Spectacular! Spectacular!' as a Hindu dancer."

"Ah, interesting," Jude said. 

Satine now had her story for a life of the past now she just had to plan out what was in store for the future.

~~At the Moulin Rouge~~

Zidler looked up at the gray grim looking sky. A small blizzard would set in soon. He looked at Christian's flat and his eyes grew more sorrowful. Toulouse and the other three walked up near him. Toulouse looked up at Harold.

"Someone is going to have to go collect his body and prepare to bury him next to Satine," Toulouse said. Zidler sighed, he wanted to tell them Satine was alive, but he didn't; he wouldn't so Satine could start her new life and all would forget her and she would forget them and everything could go well for her. "I don't think that they will ever be forgotten."

"Well, they will have to be, Toulouse," Zidler said. "We cannot dwell on the past forever. We need to continue on with our lives."

"We can continue with their memory embedded in our minds!" Toulouse argued. "Any bohemian would know that!"

"I wonder if they made it into heaven," the Argentinean said looking up at the flat of the Christian.

"They would have too," Toulouse said. "Their love was so strong; it would get them in for sure."

"They will forget us in heaven," Zidler said. "So let us forget them so we can move on."

"I can write the song for their funeral," Satie said in his quiet voice. The other nodded in agreement.

"Let's all go get him," Toulouse said. "We can lay him next to Satine."

"No!" Zidler shouted. They looked at him strangely. "We'll put him in another room, because, Satine is already in her casket!"

"Well then, we'll just get out another casket and put him int," Toulouse said. "Hold the burial ceremony until tomorrow evening."

"A burial ceremony so early?" Zidler questioned. Toulouse nodded.

"Satie, I already know the good song to sing at the funeral," Toulouse said. "You just need to get the music in order."

They all walked across the courtyard, our the gates, across the snow covered street, and to the hotel where Christian was staring at. They walked up the stairs to his room. Toulouse tried to open the door, but it was locked. He juggled the door know.

"Go away!" came a loud, cracked voice from the other side. All four of them gasped.

~~End Chapter~~

Hi, Moulin Rouge has only recently pulled me in. I've seen it twenty times in ONE week. 

Anyway, Tork is the old guy with a gray beard that said, "I don't think a nun would sing that about a hill."

I can't remember his name, I can't get subtitles on the deleted scenes, though I can't get subtitles periods on a VHS. So I was just giving him the name I heard Zidler say in the deleted scene (Special Edition VHS). Assuredly I say to you, this movie is best viewed in WIDE SCREEN!!

Please review, flames accepted. If you want more, then just say so!

Jester


	2. Chapter Two

**London Theatre!**

Disclaimer: yes, again I still do not own Moulin Rouge, except on VHS and I hope to get the DVD soon though so I can watch it on my laptop.

Pre-A/N: Well, I find that Tork is actually "The Doctor." Well, I will continue calling him Tork as a name, and we'll call the Unconscious Argentinean Narky (short for Narcoleptic Argentinean lol.)

A/N: Words in _italics_ with no quote marks ("" or '') around them are the thoughts of Satine.

Words in **_bold italics_** with single quote marks ('') around them are the thoughts of Christian.

Words in _italics_ with single quote marks ('') around them are the thoughts of Harold Zidler.

Words in _italics_ with double quote marks ("") around them are past quotes from the last chapter(s) or from the movie.

~~Begin chapter~~

"Christian?! You're alive!" Toulouse shouted. He started laughing a little then calmed a bit down. "But how? We heard the gunshot ring from your room!"

Christian still hadn't answered the door he yelled to them, "GO AWAY!"

"Christian, open the door! We're your friends, we can help you!" Narky said. They could hear the growl from Christian and then a crash against the door. They backed up a little bit.

"This coming from the same Argentinean who told me not to love Satine? Swallow your words, and choke on them!" Christian yelled and threw the other chair at the door. "NOW GO AWAY!" 

The four backed away silently but did not leave. Toulouse took a bottle of Absinthe from his coat and set it in front of the door.

"Have some Absinthe, Christian, feel better," Toulouse said. Christian opened the door snatched the bottle and looked at the four bohemians. His eyes were a little puffy from his crying and they were full of enough sorrow for a whole army. He then averted his gaze mumbling a little "thank you" and went back in his room.

His friends looked woeful for him. Narky scratched the back of his neck, now regretting that he ever told Christian to never fall in love with a woman who sells herself.

"Perhaps you were right, Narky," came Christian's voice. "If I had never fallen in love with her, I would never have had this much sorrow."

"No, Christian, it is good you fell in love with her, you experienced the one thing we all wish we could, Love," Narky said. "She was all ready to give up the life as the star of the Moulin Rouge to be with you."

They got no reply, but a crashing of the absinthe bottle against the door. Christian had drunk all of it in little time. For some reason, the Absinthe seemed to be taking longer to work. But when it did, there was no green fairy, no alcoholic bliss; there were just tears, cries, headaches, and pain. He saw dancing guns and knives, all tempting him to take them and use it on himself for death. Christian couldn't take them though to kill himself or inflict any type of pain to himself, the sorrow was already causing it. 

Christian flopped on his bed, a killing headache over taking him. He moaned from the pain on his head, but at least his mind had shut up. That was a good thing.

The four Bohemians still remained outside. Toulouse set another bottle in front of the door. Christian heard the glass touch the floor, but didn't make an attempt to get it. Then he realized he needed to get his typewriter back.

**_'No, I'll get it tomorrow,_****'** he thought to himself. He checked his pocket for the money, but it wasn't there. **'_Shit, now I have to get a job to pay for it back.'_**

Christian walked out of his room locked the door behind him and went to go find a job an hour after the Bohemians had visited him. He decided to work at the liquor store. It was good pay, and he got free Absinthe. He got two bottles if he worked overtime, and when new shipments came in of stronger Absinthe, he got a free bottle of them. Soon his cabinets were lined with Absinthe.

~~With Satine~~

Satine had arrived in a medium sized town on the northern shore of France. She and Jude boarded the ship that would take them to London, England. It was very late, and they had just boarded the last ship ride for the day. 

They stood on the deck looking up at the stars. They were far from the blizzard in Paris, but it was still freezing cold on the ship. Satine sighed; she remembered when she first met Christian. He sang and they dance, and when they danced, it was like they were dancing in the stars. 

Jude started to tell her of the constellations. She listened slightly, but her attention slipped. Finally she was pulled back from memory lane when Jude said, "We're here."

Satine looked over and saw the lights of London, she gasped little, it was like a gold gem in the sea. "This is London? It looks so beautiful."

"Yes, but it is better when there aren't many people around," Jude said. "London, I hear, is starting to be affected by the bohemian revolution."

"Interesting," Satine said. "There isn't any place like the Moulin Rouge here, is there?"

"Actually, there are a few whore houses, but none as brightly lit and colorful as the Moulin Rouge."

Jude helped Satine down the plank. Satine looked around at the busy docks and the people coming and going. She saw a few women standing in the corners; she could tell they were prostitutes. 

"Let me give you a ride to your place," Jude said enthusiastically. Satine then realized she had no place to stay. She didn't know where to go to live for a while. She shrugged.

"I don't have a place to live," Satine said.

Jude thought for moment then said shyly, "You can live in my old flat. I lived there before I went to Paris; I have never gotten the time to sell it, nor had my father. You can have it for free."

"But where would you be living?"

"My father's mansion." Jude said sliding on the seat a little as the cab took a turn. "I'll give the key… when I find it… If I can remember where I put it away..."

Satine laughed a little at the expression of confusion on Jude's face.  Satine hailed them a cab. The cabby helped Jude load the luggage and opened the door for Satine. He grinned at them.

"Just coming from a Honeymoon?" he asked. Satine and Jude's eye went wide and they shook their heads both saying "no."

"No, we just met, we're just friends," Satine said. Jude nodded in agreement. The cab driver apologized and blushed with embarrassment.

"Where to?" he asked. 

Jude gave him the address, "And please hurry, it's rather late. With a stalker on the streets of London, I don't think any woman is safe."

Jude read the headlines of a murder of a new prostitute. They believed it connected with the other several murders taking place in the same vicinity and surrounding. He showed it to Satine.

_Oh dear_, she thought. _I guess I'm not that safe here after all. But then again, if Jude didn't notice this guy probably won't either. _

After a half hour, they finally reached the flat that Jude was giving to Satine. He grabbed Satine's two bags and led her to the door.

"Sir, what of the rest of your bags?" The cabby said. Jude turned to him and held his up in a motion to say 'Hold on.'

"I'm not staying here, I'm not staying here, so just wait there please," Jude said. He looked around the plants and under the door mat then remembered. He turned behind and said, "Uh, please avert your eyes."

Satine and the cabby gave him a strange look but did as they were told. Jude turned back to the wall near the door. He grunted and heaved at a large stone from the wall. The stone was tall and heavy and hard to loosen from its spot on the wall without the other stones collapsing in. Jude kept grunting and gasping for air as he put his feet to the wall to help in pulling, "Just a little bit more, it's almost out! YOWCH!!"

Jude sucked his thumbed as he removed it from between the stones.

Behind him, Satine and the Cabby's eyes were huge. They were wondering what in heaven's name he was doing. 

Finally Jude pulled the stone back far enough to reach in a nook and grab the key. He pushed the stone back in its place, but it snagged at the back of his pants and tore it a little, letting some of the moist dirt in. Jude gasped and tried to mend the tear but to no use. 

"Uh you can turn around now," Jude said mistakenly as he was still close the tear in his pants in the rear. Satine and the Cabby's eyes went huge as they saw him and they quickly turned around again.

"I wouldn't trust this feller, he seems a bit off his head," the cabby said to Satine. Satine didn't reply.

"Uh oh, I'm sorry; it's not what you think!" Jude said finally giving up on the pants. "Seriously, just a rock tore it and muddied it…ah never mind…"

He turned around, embarrassed beyond belief and put the key in the lock and opened the door. He stepped in carrying Satine's bags and put them on the floor of the empty flat. Satine walked in leaving the cabby outside on his cart.

"Let me switch on the lights," Jude said fumbling through the darkness searching for the light chain of the ceiling lamp. He finally found it and pulled it. The light filled the hallway with light that poured into the living room and some of the stairway and into the dining hall. The chandelier was made of crystal and made beautiful patterns on the walls and floors.

"Oh, wow, this a beautiful apartment, Jude!" Satine said. She walked into the living room, it was rather spacious and had two doors near the end, one to the bedroom the other a bathroom. She switched on the lights of the living room. It had white soft carpet and white walls. She explored the bedroom, it was large and was also all white same with the spacious bathroom. The faucets were gold though. In the dining hall and kitchen it was white, and upstairs was another room smaller than the one down stairs and then there was a small simple bathroom. Satine loved it.

"I love it!" Satine said. "But I can't afford to live in such a place like this!" 

"Don't worry; I'll take care of the bill!" Jude said. 

"But, this is so much, I can't possibly-"

"It's alright," Jude said grinning, "you can have it! You don't have to pay me back; I don't mind just giving it to you, not at all."

"Thank you," Satine said. "But no one I've met has ever been this generous and not want something in return."

_Whoa, stop right there, Satine!_ Her mind yelled at her_. Don't go there, you're not a courtesan, he's giving it to you freely you don't have to pay him back that way!_

"Well, I guess I'm the first of a kind then," Jude said shrugging. 

"I hope so," Satine said.

"Well, I'll give you a tour of London tomorrow," Jude said. "Here's your key, Sara."

Jude gave her the key and then left. Satine almost forgot her name was Sara, but then, hearing address her as such made her feel now, that she was Sara Christian, and she would make a good life in London. No more Satine the Sparkling Diamond of the Moulin Rouge. She was no longer the courtesan playing the Hindu Courtesan, she was no longer the star of the Moulin Rouge that sold her love to men; her loved already belonged to a man for no fee. She was Sara Christian, and she would always cherish the memory of Christian in her mind.

~~A year later~~

Zidler walked along the sidewalk in front of the former Moulin Rouge, he looked up at the once vibrantly colored and brightly lit windmill. Harold frowned, he had used the diamonds to repay the Duke, after that though, he was still in debt. He then had to give up the Moulin Rouge, but suddenly, the Duke was murdered, there were suspects, and then the policed ruled it as a suicide. But Harold knew that the Duke wouldn't commit suicide, he was humiliated, yes, but as revenge he'd kill the people that annoyed him the most, and he would have destroyed the Moulin Rouge. As a result to his death, all the deeds were given back to Harold Zidler, but he decided not to remake the Moulin Rouge into another night club, he feared that now the Moulin Rouge was cursed for all the sins that had been committed in its walls. He decided to just have it be a house for him and the other players of the Moulin Rouge to keep them out of the rain. 

Harold looked up at the window to Christian's flat. _'The poor boy,' he thought, _'to be living in such sorrow, and not know that his true love was alive still.' _Harold wanted to tell him, but he couldn't. Even though the Duke was dead, his older and more powerful brother was still alive, and mad with sorrow, wanting to kill everyone who made the Duke in such sorrow to kill himself. Harold knew that The Duke's brother knew of Satine's existence, or former existence, and would kill her as well. Satine thought Christian was dead as did the Duke's older brother, and to keep them both safe, was to keep them separated, and hidden. The Duke's older brother was out to get the people of the Moulin Rouge. And Harold knew, it was only a matter of time before the Duke's brother would gain knowledge of their living, and Harold worried. He knew that if The Duke's older brother were to find out, he'd abandon trying to kill everyone at the Moulin Rouge and kill Christian and Satine. He would especially want to kill the one who killed his brother, and for that, Zidler had to keep Christian in hiding._

It was a shock to Harold that Christian was alive. He went to see him only a few days after Toulouse and the others went to collect his dead body. Christian was sick looking from grief. Zidler told him to not worry over the rent that he'd take of it.

For the last year, Christian never seemed to recover. After he had gotten enough money to buy back his typewriter, he quit his job and stayed cooped up in his room. He'd walk the streets at night, not acknowledging anyone, he walked as if he were dead, but his eyes showed all the emotion he had; grief, sorrow, and pain. Not a tinge of guilt in his eyes for what he did. 

During the daylight hours, he'd stay in his room, and close all the shades and curtains, making himself his own night. He drank absinthe, only a bottle a day to preserve his supply. He had made many attempts to tell their story like Satine made him promise to do, but he couldn't. He didn't know where to start; he had never known such trouble in writing.

Then one day, as he looked over the old, wilting script of "Spectacular! Spectacular!" it came to him. He sat down to his typewriter, hearing Toulouse's singing outside on the Windmill. ("There was a boy, a very strange enchanted boy…") He started crying, as the memories flooded back to him like a waterfall, in vivid rapid motion, he remembered every move made, every thought he had, every word spoken. He set his Absinthe bottle to the side and started to type:

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.

The Moulin Rouge, a nightclub, dance hall and bordello, ruled over by Harold Zidler, a place where the rich and powerful came to play with the young beautiful and creatures of the underworld. The most beautiful of all these, was the woman I loved, Satine. They called her the Sparkling Diamond, and she was the star of the Moulin Rouge.

Christian continued to write, everything he remembered and he began from:

I first came to Paris, one year ago. The year was 1899, it was the summer of love. The world had been swept up in the Bohemian revolution, and I had traveled from London to be apart of it. I knew nothing of the Moulin Rouge, Harold Zidler or Satine.

On a hill near Paris was the village of Montmarte, and it was not like my father said, "A village of sin!" but the center of the Bohemian world! Musicians, painters, and writers they were known as "The Children of the Revolution."

Yes, I had come to live a penniless existence, to write in the ideals of Truth, Freedom, Beauty and that in which I believed in above all things, Love! There was only one problem; I had never been in love!

Luckily right at the moment an unconscious Argentinean fell through my roof; he was quickly joined by a dwarf dressed as a nun.

For a few days, only a few, Christian sat only in front of his typewriter, a pile of papers next to him on his right, and on his left were the used papers. Finally he finished the story in these words:

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. And then one not so special day, I sat down, and I wrote our story; a story about a place, and story about a time, and story about the people, but above all a story about love; a love that which will last forever. The end.

After completing the story, Christian put the last paper on the pile of papers that were used and put them in his drawer. He took another Absinthe bottle and lay on the bed, his eyes full of tears from writing of a great time in life. Even after a year, he hadn't shed all his tears, they would continue forever.

~~In London~~

Over the last year, Satine and Jude had grown close, very close. A few months ago they tried to date, but it just put a strain on their good friendship, so they agreed to just be friends. (All you reviewers who hate stories where Christian and Satine go with different people and release that held breathe of yours!) 

They were good friends and could rely on each other for comfort and support. They knew that their relationship could not reach past a brotherly and sisterly relationship. Satine's heart was still for Christian only and Jude could sense that she loved someone else, and so he only wanted her to be happy so he let her go. He didn't want to stand in the way.

One day, a year after they had met they went out for lunch. Satine had just been having a horrible day and Jude could sense it when he picked her up.

"What is it, Sara?" he asked. 

"It's nothing," Satine said, "just a bad day at work."

"Tell me," Jude said. "You know you can always talk to me."

"Yes, but I'd prefer keeping this to myself."

"Did someone hurt you? If someone did, Sara, I swear, I'll do all in my power to make them pay! No one hurts my adopted sister," Jude said. Jude had definitely become like a brother to Satine. But even sisters kept secrets from their brothers.

Satine had seen who she thought was Christian, but it wasn't him, and the distraction of thinking of him made her screw up her performance, and she was fired. That was her third theatre performance she had had fired from for the same reason. Many London Theatres were left though, for her to try out at.

Jude didn't try to pry anymore from what he saw in his adopted sister's eyes. He could tell it was from something of her past. Though he knew her general past, it was still a bit of a mystery to him.

Lunch was rather an informal matter, and they loved to just talk about their day, while eating some lamb's meat. Today was no different; Satine was back to her usual happy self by lunch. Well, as happy as she usually put on, inside, Satine had not truly gotten over Christian and that was party why she and Jude just didn't work out.

"Well, today," Jude said, "Mr. Gerald, the shoe press worker at the Shoe Factory in the country side went on strike! He's claiming they he doesn't get enough pay so he doesn't want to work anymore. The Factory Manager then fired him saying," Jude put on a deep rough angry voice, " 'If you don't think you get enough pay, then try to work by yourself and see what pay you get staying at home!'"

Satine laughed, "Nice impression of Factory Manager Justin!"

"Thank you," Jude said bowing like he had won an award. "Thank you, thank you."

"Well, what did you say to what Factory Manager Justin did?"

"I told him that if he wanted to dispense anyone who complains about their pay then he can. I over pay them anyway. Mr. Gerald is much of an atheist. He doesn't believe in anything, not even in God. He lives to work; I'm amazed the he just decides to now protest against his wages. I am giving them higher wages than my father did!"

"People are rather greedy, you give them an inch and they'll demand a mile," Satine said. Jude nodded in agreement.

"I hear that, and it is very true," Jude said. Jude was tempted to ask about why she seemed so sad but didn't ask.

Satine could he wanted to ask her, so she just said, "I was sad because I lost my job today."

"What? Why would they let you go? I've seen you rehearse before, you're a wonderful actress, how could they let you out?" Jude asked his voice full of disbelief. 

"I was too distracted from my work. I could act properly. I just got too distracted by other things to work," Satine said. 

"What distracted you?" Jude asked. 

"Just things, personal things I don't want to talk about," Satine said. Jude didn't pry anymore, he knew when to not go any further into the detail of Satine's past life.

The waiter came back with the bill, Jude took care of it as he usually did and then gave Satine a ride back to her flat. Before she left the carriage he said, "If you ever want to talk about it, Sara, I'm always willing to lend an ear."

"I know, thank you, Jude," Satine said the walked up into her flat. She had lost many of her acting gigs only because she got distracted when she thought she saw Christian, or any of old friends, and she then was thrusted into old memories of Moulin Rouge one year ago. 

That night Satine sat by her window on the second floor where she could actually see the moon through a sky light. She softly sang under breathe, "Never knew, I could feel like this…like I've never seen the sky before… want to vanish inside your kiss…"

~~Six months later in Paris~~

Christian waited patiently inside the lobby of Champlain Publishers. Christian was pale from grief, and his eyes were still moist with tears of old and yet to be shed. He had a shaved of his beard and mustache yesterday morning, had a bit of a trace of whiskers; a few little gray hairs of grief touching lightly at his temples. He kept sniffing a little; his grief had never lightened from the year and a half ago.

The other few people around kept giving him strange looks. Finally, down the stairs came Christian's editor, Sadie Carnell. 

"Christian Adams?" Sadie asked as she looked at Christian. Christian looked up at Lily. Lily was a beautiful woman, medium height, slender nice face, green eyes straight black hair that went down to her shoulders. Christian nodded as he got up and shook her hand.

"Yes," he said barely above a whisper. 

"I'm glad to finally have met you!" Sadie said merrily. "Now, follow me up to meet the rest of the editors of Champlain Publishers."

She took a cigarette out of her little purse. Sadie, for a strange reason, wasn't dressed like other woman would be. She was one of the very few women in a work force like this. 

"Cigarette?" She asked he shook her head.

"No," he said. "I prefer Absinthe?"

"Don't have that here," Sadie seemed to shake a little. 

"Are you cold?" Christian asked.

"No, just a little nervous," Sadie said. They finally reached nearly the top floor where the other editors were at. As they stepped out onto the floor another woman came up to Sadie and so did a man carrying a large piece of cardboard covered in brown paper.

"Ms. Carnell, here it is!" the other woman said pointing to the man holding the large cardboard.

"Hello, Darla, this is Christian Adams, the English writer I told you about. Christian, Darla, my secretary," Sadie introduced them, and they shook hands. "And this young man is my cousin, Montague LeBeau; he's from my mother's side."

Christian shook his hand and said hello. Then Monty stepped back said, "Ready for this!"

He tore off the cover of the cardboard revealing a picture of a heart with a browned ribbon on it that had "Love" printed on it and on the corners around the heart was Truth, Freedom and Beauty. On the top in a Gold was printed "A Love Which Will Last Forever." The background was a dark brown like an old leather book.

"It's your book cover!" LeBeau said happily. "What do you think?"

"I think it's nice," Christian said quietly, not really caring. Sadie gave Christian a pen.

"Sign it!" She said. Christian did so. Darla had left a little earlier and then just came back.

"Hey, they're ready for you in Old Champlain!" Darla said. Sadie shivered and took a drag on her cigarette. 

"You sure you don't want a cigarette?" Sadie asked again.

"Absinthe is the only thing that calms my mind," Christian said; **_'along with having Satine in my arms.'_**

"Well, we can't have a drunk author in a meeting!" Sadie said taking another nervous drag on her cigarette. She walked down the hall to the end where there were large doors. "Okay, ready? Good."

She walked in Christian right behind. There were eleven men seated at the table six on one side, five on the other, an empty chair on the side that had five, it belonged to Sadie but it looked unused. The elven men stood up.

"Hello, gentle men, this is Christian Adams, the English writer I've told you about for the last six months. Christian, the editors," Sadie said.

"Reginald."

"Harold."

"Leonard"

"Natchez."

"Michelangelo."

"Ken."

"Jonathan."

"Ronald."

"Joseph."

"Lester."

"Louis."

Christian just nodded to each of them.

"Our boss, Jerald, is eating breakfast now, so you won't see him here." Natchez said.

Christian didn't care. 

"So then, Mr. Adams, what is your story about?" Joseph asked.

"It's about love," Christian said.

"Love?" Ken said skeptically.

"Yes, love, over overcoming most obstacles, and there's a courtesan, the most beautiful courtesan in all the world that works at the Moulin Rouge. But the Moulin Rouge is taken over by an evil Duke! To save the Mouin Rouge, she must seduce the Duke. But, on the night of the seduction, she mistakes a penniless writer, and falls in love with him! He wasn't trying to trick her or anything, but he was dressed as a duke because he was going to recite poetry to her hoping to become the writer of a play for the Moulin Rouge."

"Yes, well what happens next?"

"Well, the penniless writer and the courtesan have to hide their love from the evil Duke. And their four bohemian friends help in hiding their affair. They had a friend, a dwarf named Toulouse who believed in their love above all things. Well, the penniless writer gets to write the play called 'Spectacular! Spectacular!' But in time, the penniless writer and the courtesan are pulled apart by an evil plan. But in the end she hears his song, and their love is just too strong. The Penniless writer's secret song, helps them flee the evil one, though the Duke rants and rails, it is all to no avail. But then, when everything seems to be going in a happily ever after ending, it is revealed, that the courtesan has consumption. And on the night of the play, after the penniless writer and courtesan sing their secret song, declaring that they will each other until the end of time, when the curtain closes, the courtesan dies in the penniless writer's arms." There was a pause, and a sob from Sadie. The men were even a little taken with this story.

"Well, Mr. Adams, I'm not sure if this book will do well in a non-bohemian world," Reginald said. 

"Well, Mr. Reginald, the bohemians of the world may like it very much," Christian said. "I don't care if it does well or not, I just want the story to be told."

"Well, Mr. Adams, if Old Champlain likes it, then we will take care of the promotion of the book," Harold said as he folded up a paper he had taken notes on and put it in his coat pocket.

"So you have no intentions to promote my book?" Christian asked. They all nodded.

"This is bull!" Sadie yelled. "Why publish a book if you aren't going to promote it?"

"Then do you suggest we just not publish it period, Ms. Carnell?" Reginald asked. Sadie shook her head. "Good, we'll publish it, that doesn't mean we have to promote such a Bohemian book!"

Christian didn't care. He just bowed a bit, "Thank you for your time."

Then he left. Sadie followed quickly.

"Christian! Christian, wait up!" she said. Christian slowed a little. Sadie caught up with him. "Listen, I'm sorry about the behavior of those editors. They don't like the English, even though some of them are English and they don't like anything Bohemian. But don't worry, I've heard talk that Champlain, the founder of this publishing company, is a bohemian himself. He just doesn't show it. So, if we get his approval, you're book will be reviewed by every book reviewer and an ad put in every paper in France!"

"Thank you, Sadie, but I really don't care if the book is promoted or not," Christian said. "I just care that it gets published and that the story is told."

"Well, okay, but I'll check up with Old Champlain himself anyway!" Sadie said letting Christian walk on. Sadie thought that Christian was rather cute, even in his pale state. She looked to her secretary. "Darla! Get me a piece of paper and pen!"

Darla grabbed a pen of a passerby's pocket and took a paper from someone else's office and gave it to Sadie. Sadie wrote something on it and gave it  back to Darla saying, "Take this to Christian Adams and tell him to be there!"  
  


"Right away!" Darla said and did as she was told. She followed Christian down the stairs and finally caught up with him in the lobby. "Mr. Adams, Sadie wanted me to give this to you."

Christian took the paper and read it, "I can't go."

"She won't take no for an answer! For the love of God, man, go there, she is very sensitive right now. Her boyfriend left her for another woman three months ago," Darla said. "She's been having very violent mood swings from depression."

"Tell her to toughen up! The love of my life died a year and a half ago! Look at how I am!" Christian said. Darla eyed him a bit suspiciously and weirdly. Christian shook his head, "okay bad example.."

"Please, perhaps you should move on too," Darla said. "Go see other people and this is the perfect chance!"

"Don't talk to me like you've known my all my life!" Christian nearly yelled. "But fine, I'll go! Tell her this, next time, let me know a week ahead!"

Christian then left the Publishing building and caught a cab to go back to Montmarte. He decided then, he wouldn't drink that night as he prepared for dinner with his editor. He shaved what whiskers he had and brushed his teeth for an hour trying to get out the absinthe smell from his mouth, needless to say, he didn't totally succeed.

At seven-thirty o'clock P.M. (never again did he want to meet at eight o'clock in fear that the person might get Consumption) he was off to meet his editor for dinner. He didn't dare call it a date. And he didn't dare to tell Toulouse, he'd shoot off at how he was betraying Satine, but how could he betray the dead? He had succeeded in keeping his promise to tell their story, what else did he have to do anyway?

~~End Chapter~~

O.O Looks like those of you who hate stories where Christian goes with another woman have to hold your breath again! Maybe I'll change my idea and … uh…I'm not revealing my original idea!

Anyway, well, there y'go! Chapter Two! Don't expect Three anytime soon! I'm working on many other stories I have yet to do. Ta ta!

Jester


	3. Chapter Three

**London Theatre!**

Disclaimer: yes, again I still do not own Moulin Rouge, except on VHS and I hope to get the DVD soon though so I can watch it on my laptop.

Pre-A/N: Well, I find that Tork is actually "The Doctor." Well, I will continue calling him Tork as a name, and we'll call the Unconscious Argentinean Narky (short for Narcoleptic Argentinean lol.)

A/N: Words in _italics_ with no quote marks ("" or '') around them are the thoughts of Satine.

Words in **_bold italics_** with single quote marks ('') around them are the thoughts of Christian.

Words in _italics_ with single quote marks ('') around them are the thoughts of Harold Zidler.

Words in _italics_ with double quote marks ("") around them are past quotes from the last chapter(s) or from the movie.

~~Begin Chapter~~

"I hate it!" Old Champlain yelled. "Bohemian shit doesn't deserve to be promoted!!"

"Why?!" Sadie asked.

"Bohemian ideals, it's shit! If it's promoted I'm going to fucking kill myself!" Old Champlain yelled. "I hate al Bohemians, as did my brother! I don't care about their ridiculous dogma!!"

"But sir, it would go off the charts no doubt!" Sadie said. "It'd make Champlain Publishers popular beyond belief!!"

"But, sir!" Sadie said. Old Champlain punched the table.

"I don't want to hear it! We're not going to promote this book if it was the last book to be published on this Earth!" Old Champlain yelled. Spit was spraying out of his mouth as he yelled at her. He seemed very much like The Duke in that aspect. "It was Bohemians that were the cause of my brother's death! I will NOT help in the promoting this book!!"

Old Champlain slammed the door shut to his office in Sadie's face and that was that. Sadie sighed heavily and turned around with a look that could kill on her face. She lit a cigarette and took a long, long drag on it and let it out. She walked away in a huff, murmuring, "Men, those stupid conceited bastards think they know everything! The only decent man in this world is Christian Adams…"

She walked down the hall to the stairs and out to the lobby.

~~In Christian's flat~~

Now Christian couldn't write, he had no inspiration to write. He needed something to write about. He couldn't think of anything to write about though, one story of love, his own, and he couldn't make up a story. 

Christian hadn't had night last night with Sadie. He had gone to dinner with her, and ate. That was it, beside the occasional cup of Absinthe. He could tell that Sadie was trying to hit on him, but he wouldn't indulge in her. His heart only belonged to Satine, dead or alive. He ended getting up and leaving her with the tab and walking back to Montmarte, drunk like an ass.

He didn't really care if Sadie hated his guts now; he just wanted to be secluded, by himself. He didn't want to talk to anyone, he just wanted to be by himself, and think of Satine. 

~~Where Sadie is at~~

Sadie sat in her bedroom, at her desk, thinking of ways to promote Christian's book. If not in Paris, then somewhere else, even it isn't in France. She thought long and hard about it, but her mind went back to last night.

Christian had left her at the restaurant, but he was drunk, and she could tell, it was a grief drunken state. She felt a swell of pity for him, and attractiveness to him. She wanted to be his, and she didn't care if he was as drunk as a drunken ass last night. 

Finally, an idea came to her! Of course, if not Paris, THEN LONDON! Yes, she would have Christian make scripts of the play, then she would make more copies, and they could use a London Theatre to promote it!

She laughed and smiled in utter delight as she lit a victory cigarette and said, "I'm such a genius I scare myself! God, I'm so blessed to have beauty and brains!"

She got her purse and some Francs and headed out the door to hail a cab and take her to Montmarte.

~~In London~~

Jude and Satine were walking in the park, having a conversation about new books that had come out the last two weeks. 

"What kinds of books do you like, Sara?" Jude asked. Satine, or "Sara", thought about this question a little and shrugged.

"Well, what every woman likes to read, a light humorous romantic novel, or a dramatic love novel," she said. "Practically anything about truth, beauty, freedom, and above all things, love. What about you, Jude, what do you like in a book?"

"I like the action type of books, like almost any typical man, but I also like to read about truth, beauty, freedom and love, of course," Jude said as they walked near a pond. "Oh look, a frog!"

Jude went after it trying to catch it. Satine laughed lightly, remembering when she, Christian and the Duke went out for a picnic, and the Duke went after a frog and tried to squash. In a way he seemed a little cute like that, but more idiotic. 

"Don't kill it!" Satine said laughing lightly. Jude looked at her with mock shock.

"Me? Kill a frog? Of course I wouldn't do such a thing!" Jude said making like he was trying to look like he wasn't trying to kill the frog. "I just want to study it…the insides anyway!"

Satine laughed, "Study its skin, not its gut!"

Jude put on a mock pout, and said in a boyish way, "Oh fine…"

"Well, in replace for the frog, I give you this!" Satine gave him a brown package. Jude looked at it with curiosity like a kid looks at the presents under the tree right before Christmas.

"Oh, a present for me, thank you!!!" Jude took the package and tore off the brown paper to reveal a book called The Four Feathers. "Oh yes! The new book by A. E. W. Mason! Wow, how'd you get it?? This is widely expected book!!"

"I stood in line at night, for four hours to be one of the first to get it. You've been such a great friend to me, Jude for the past year and a half, like a brother, and your generosity, this is less than the least I could do for you," Satine said. Jude pulled Satine in a big hug.

"Thank you, Sara! It's great!" Jude said happily. "Gee, I have to get you a book too! I'll find something!"

"No, Jude, it's alright, you don't have to. You've already been overly generous to me," Satine said. Jude kissed her cheek.

"And in return for all I've done, you've been the best friend I've ever had!" Jude said. Satine smiled a little as the walked on and continued talking.

~~In Montmarte~~

Sadie walked up to Christian's flat door. She knocked on it a few times,

"What do you want?" came Christian's irritated reply.

"I want to tell you, I have an idea on how to promote your book!" Sadie called. She heard a bottle crash against something.

"I don't care if it's promoted or not!" Christian said.

"We can turn it into a play! And play it in London!" Sadie called.

"Fine, do what you want!" Christian yelled.

"I want you to make the script though!" Sadie called.

"Fine, I will!" Christian said. It'd at least give him something to fill up time with. He heard Sadie jump up and down in joy.

  
"Great," Sadie yelled. "Great, I'll go and uh, just wait!"

"Sure, whatever," Christian said as he started typing.

"Oh, when do you expect to be done?" Sadie asked.

"Three days, and you'll have it on your desk," Christian said. He had already started to type away, and again it all came back to him like a water fall. 

~~Three days later~~

Christian ran into Sadie's office around noon and slammed a pile of papers on Sadie's desk. He looked at her, bags under his eyes, and said, "There you go, Sadie; the script, two fucking copies of it in three days, ON YOUR DESK!"

"Yes! Great, thank you, Christian!" Sadie said. "I'll take this into printing, and you can keep that copy for yourself when you help direct this!" Sadie said.

"What? You just wanted me to write the bloody script, and I have! Now you want me to go back to London and direct the play?!" Christian yelled in frustration. Sadie just gave him a look.

"Toughen up, crying boy, and just do this. It'll be better for publicity!" Sadie said taking a drag of her cigarette.

"Do you ever stop smoking?" Christian asked getting annoyed by the smoke.

"Yes, at night I don't smoke!" Sadie said. "But it isn't your concern! I'm taking this down to print now. You can either leave back to your place or just wait around here for a few hours until the first print comes out."

Sadie took up a print of the script and left down the stairs. Christian thought a bit of how bitchy Sadie seemed to be, but then remembered it was his fault and followed Sadie.

"Sadie! Sadie, wait! I have to say something!" Christian said running up to Sadie. 

"What?" She asked.

"I have to apologize for the way I acted last night," Christian said. "I was just overly drunk. I was acting like an ass, and I'm sorry."

"You're forgiven," Sadie said and walked on. Christian didn't believe her.

"Hey, hey! That didn't sound like you meant it," Christian said. Sadie laughed.

"Maybe I didn't mean it," Sadie said. Christian looked a little confused.

"Well, then why wouldn't you mean it?" Christian asked. Then he thought a moment and said, "Wait nevermind I understand. I don't think I'd mean 'You're forgiven' if I were you and I had done to me what I had done to you."

"What?" Sadie laughed. 

"Uh, sorry, tongue tied a little," Christian said. "I mean, I can understand why you wouldn't mean that."

"Well, now I mean it," Sadie said. "Christian Adams, author of A Love Which Will Last Forever, I forgive you!"

"Now it sounds like you meant it!" Christian said. There was an awkward silence. "I'm gonna go now."

"Right…" Sadie said, "I have to go too."

They both their separate way that day, Christian to his flat, and Sadie to the print house.

~~Three weeks later~~

"Well, Christian, my friend, it is done!" Sadie said as she took a seat on Christian's bed. Christian was on the sill and he looked at her.

"It is printed?" he asked. Sadie nodded.

"Yes, and it's ready to be taken to London, I even managed to get West End Theatre to do the play! They even asked for you to go and direct!" Sadie said. Christian had a mirage of a grin on his face that vanished quickly.

"Well, I'd like my own people to help in the production," Christian said. "I want Toulouse to handle costume design. I want Tork to be taking care of special effects, the Argentinean to handle with the acting of his own part; and Satie to do the music, since we already have the music for some of it."

"I can arrange it to be that way," Sadie said. "Well, tell them to get ready, we're heading out in a week!"

"I will," Christian said. "You want to have dinner?"

"Yes, I'd like that," Sadie said smiling. 

"Good, let's go to the Moulin Rouge, we can tell them over dinner!"

Christian got up and grabbed his coat. Sadie seemed a little crestfallen but put on a good face and walked out before Christian. Christian closed and locked the door and walked with Sadie across the street to the Moulin Rouge.

When Christian told Toulouse, Satie, Tork and Narky the plan, and they were all more than eager to join.  That night was like a party, to celebrate the future success they hoped for Christian to have. 

~~One week later~~

Christian stepped of the plank onto the docks of London; he was back to his old home. His friends and Sadie followed him off the docks to collect their things.

As they approached the crates with their stuff in it Toulouse said, "Oh Christian, I think we'll need more than just one cab!"

"I think you're right," Christian said. 

"I'll hail a cab!" Narky said. Christian pulled him back, not wanting the Londoners to see a Spanish Fiesta dressed Argentinean from France yelling for a taxi. 

He smiled a little nervously and told Narky, "No, you just help get everything together!"

"Yes, of course, you weak saps will need the help of a Narcolept-hic," Narky's eyes went cross and he fell down, unconscious. 

"By jove, is he alright?" A cabby said.

"Yes, he's just a Narcoleptic," Christian explained, "He passes out unexpectedly whenever."

"Oh, well, do you need help in loading your things?" The cabby asked.

"Yes, we need four cabs!" Toulouse said.

"Are you French?" The cabby asked.

"No, he isn't! He just has a severe lisp when he talks," Christian said. "So uh, could you get us three more cabs?"

"Yes, sir, I'll be right back," The cabby said trotting off to get more cabbies. Christian turned to all of them.

"Do not talk, let me do the talking!" Christian said. "Very few English are keen on the French!"

"Well, that's rude," Tork said. 

"Just do as I say!" Christian hissed. They nodded.

The cabby returned with three more of his friends and he jumped down from his perch on the driver's seat, "Here you go sir! Now, allow us to help you load up!"

"Thank you," Christian said. "Well put this crate on that cart there. We'll put these two lockers on this cart."

"Well, what do you have in these? They are rather heavy! Where should I put this one?" One of the cabbies asked. Tork ran over and helped him. 

"Be careful!" He wheezed. "In this cart are modern sciences of effects for the stage! If you drop it, something may spark, or fume and BOOM, the docks fifteen feet around will be flattened!"

That really didn't help the young cabby in his confidence; he shook a little more as Tork helped him carry the crate to a cart. It took them around a half of an hour to load all the crates onto the four cab carts.

"Where to, sir?" The original cabby they met asked.

"To the West End Theatre," Christian said, "and quickly please."

"You hear him, boys?" The cabby yelled to the others. "To the West End Theatre!"  
  


"West End Theatre!" was passed to all the cabby drivers. Toulouse, with Narky, rode in the cart that had the costumes. Satie rode in the cart with the trunks of paper and music. Tork rode in the cart that had all the special effects materials in it. Sadie rode with Christian in the cart that held the crate with all the scripts in it.

~~With Satine~~

Satine walked to the new theatre she was going to try out at. She wore a long red dress, with no corset; those corsets were practically the death of her. She could breath, a lot of times she coughed for air, but ever since she had stopped wearing corsets, she had stopped all the hard coughing. She breathed much better.

She stood in front of the new theatre she was trying out at. It wasn't fancy, but it was well enough, she walked through the front door into the lobby. A woman approached her, coughing a little.

"Hello, may I help you?" the woman asked.

"Yes, I'm here to try out for the lead in the new play," Satine said. The woman nodded.

"Ah yes, of course, follow me. I'm going to have to ask you a few questions first. Can you sing well?"

"I don't make the judgments on myself; I let other people decide that."

"Well then, can you act?"

"Yes, or I wouldn't be here."

"Don't get smart with me," the woman snapped. She led her up to a tall lean man that wore a black tailored suit. "Director Cephus, this is the woman trying out for the lead of the play."

The man turned around, he had a nice face, but Jude's was better, Christian's was better too. He looked her over, "Do you have acting experience?"

"Yes," Satine said.

"Can you sing well?"

"You judge," Satine said. She started to sing, "My gift is my song, and this one's for you. It may be quite simple, but, now that it's done; I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, that I put down in words, how wonderful life is, now you're in the world! Sat on the roo-"

"You are great!" Cephus said. "I don't need to hear a romance song though. Sing me a different song, one not for much of romance."

Satine nodded, "A kiss on the hand maybe quite continental, but diamonds are a girl's best friend!  A kiss on the hand maybe grand, but diamonds are a girl's best friend!!"

Satine continued to sing that song she once sung at the Moulin Rouge. When she finished Cephus applauded. 

"Great! Brilliant!" he applauded. "Now, take this, and perform this scene."

Cephus pointed the scene out to her. Satine thought it very strange that the scene was eerily similar to when she was meeting Christian and he sang "Your Song."

"Is there anyone to play off of?" Satine asked. Cephus looked around and back and saw Jude walking in.

"You!" Cephus yelled pointing to him. Jude stopped dead and pointed to himself mouthing the words "Me?" Cephus nodded, "Yes you come here!"

Jude walked down the aisle keeping his gaze on Satine then he looked at Cephus, "Yes?"

"Take this," Cephus stuck a script at Jude's chest, "and read these lines, and do it well so she can have someone to act off of."

"All right," Jude didn't like acting, he didn't think he was good, but he would for his good friend Satine. 

"What are you doing here?" Satine whispered to him as they walked up to the stage.

"I just came to see you try out, I didn't want to get caught and made to try out!" Jude said. Satine laughed lightly. "What?! I can't act!"

"Everyone can act, just a matter if you can in front of an audience," Satine said. "Now you know where we're starting from?"

"The top?" Jude asked.

"Yes, of what page?"

"Nine," Jude said.

"Good, acting lesson one; always know where you're staring from!" Satine said.

"Alright, people, let's start, and action!" Cephus said. 

"This is a perfect place for a poetry reading, don't you think?" Satine said in a sexy voice. "Poetic enough for you?"

"Y-yes," Jude said his line with the right amount of nervousness. 

"How about some dinner, maybe some Champaign?"  Satine made it look like she was ready to pour some Champaign.

"I'd rather get it all over and done with."

Satine made it look like she set the bottle down none too lightly and said, "Oh." She turned. "Very well, why don't you come down here, and let's get it all over and done with."

"I'd prefer to do it standing," Jude said.

"Oh."

"You don't have to stand I mean, it's just, that sometimes, uh it's quite long and I'd like you to be comfortable," Jude said. Director Cephus noted all of Satine's facial expressions. "It's quite modern what I do, and it may feel a little strange at first, but I think if you're open then you might enjoy!"

"I'm sure I will!" Satine said putting on her shocked face. Cephus clapped heartily.

"Great! Bravo! Brilliant, and uh, what's your name?" Cephus asked.

"Sat-Sara Christian," Satine said, she almost said her real name.  

"Brilliant performance, Sara!" Cephus said. He turned to Jude, "And what is your name, sir?"

"Jude Latter," Jude responded.

"You did very well, Jude Latter! Have you an interest in acting in this play?" Cephus asked. Jude shook his head.

"No, I was just here to see my friend, Sara, try out," Jude said.

"Yes, her singing was practically all she needed to get in. She certainly is a talented actress; she could be the next Sara Barnhart!" Cephus said. "Why don't you try out as well? I've already saw your good acting talents! Sing this song!"

Cephus gave him the lyrics of "Your Song." Jude took them hesitantly.

"I'm afraid don't know much of singing," Jude said.

"Don't worry!" Cephus said. "Just sing!"

"All right," Jude said. He took several breaths then sang. His voice was positively beautiful; he sang every note right on tune and tone. They were dumbfounded.

"You have the part!" Cephus exclaimed. "Keep the lyrics! You'll have to practice in memorizing them!" He turned to Satine. "I don't believe it is possible to find anyone in the whole of London that's better than you! You have the part as Satine the Sparkling Diamond!"

"What?!" Satine said in disbelief. Not disbelief in the fact she got the part, but the fact she got the part of herself! "What is this script about?"

"It's about love!" voice called from the doorway. Satine looked down the hall and saw…she couldn't believe it…she felt all of a sudden faint, and lightheaded…blackness came over her.

Jude gasped, "Sara!! Sara, are you alright?"

"She must have just fainted from shock of getting the lead," Cephus said. "Well, that's all for today, thanks for coming. First rehearsal is on Friday. Come by around two o'clock P.M. it lasts until around seven thirty."

"Alright," Jude said taking two scripts and lyrics from Cephus. He carried Satine out of the theatre, her hair covering her face. He walked by a tall, pale man with silver-blue eyes and dark black hair. He nodded in acknowledgement of him and walked on.

Christian took a look at the woman the man was carrying and thought of stopping him to see who it was, but didn't his mind to blame, **_'Satine is dead, and she wouldn't be here if she were alive! She'd be in your arms!'_**

Christian walked on down the aisle, Sadie by his side. He shook hands with Cephus, "Hello, I'm Christian Adams, the writer of A Love Which Will Last Forever."

"Hello, I'm Cephus Johnson, the director!" Cephus said merrily.

"I thought I was directing it, Sadie," Christian said looking at Sadie. She just shrugged.

"Oh, last minute changes," Cephus said. "We're both going to direct the play. Have you all the scripts and lyrics now?"

"I have the rest of the lyrics," Christian said. "And more scripts. Who were the two that left?"

"They're the leads in the play!" Cephus said. Christian sighed heavily.

"If we're going to be directing this together, I'd at least have some say in who is going to play the lead!" Christian said. He felt offended that Cephus might have chosen who would play his beloved Satine.

"Well we can contact them! In fact I have their addresses, we can take a stop by their house, and you can see for yourself how great they are! They definitely will fit your standards," Cephus said showing Satine's application.

"What about the man?" Christian asked taking Satine's (though he didn't know it was Satine's) application in hand.

"Well, they're friends, so no doubt, that she will have his address as well!" Cephus said. "Why don't we stop by her house tomorrow? We need to start setting up for props and lighting etc, today."

"Alright," Christian said handing back Satine's application. Then they started to set up for rehearsals in three days.

~~End Chapter~~

**Gasps. ** They had a near encounter! And they didn't even see it! She faints; he doesn't see who she is! Will they ever find out of each other's existence? …Maybe…

Anyway, is it just me, or does Sadie seem to stay by Christian's side a lot? Well, you people who hate it when Christian goes with another woman may have to keep your breath held for a little longer!

Some of you think you saw Down with Love rip offs, and I say to you this, "Hell yeah! I loved that movie! Of course there was a rip off of Down with Love! I read the book twice and am working on three! I love it! Ewan and Renee, good chemistry! Hell yeah!"

Director Cephus is based on my brother, only Director Cephus is nicer. Lol. I dedicate that character to him for serving in the war. My brother is a veteran now lol.

Jester


	4. Chapter Four

**London Theatre!**

Disclaimer: yes, again I still do not own Moulin Rouge, except on VHS and I hope to get the DVD soon though so I can watch it on my laptop.

Pre-A/N: Well, I find that Tork is actually "The Doctor." Well, I will continue calling him Tork as a name, and we'll call the Unconscious Argentinean Narky (short for Narcoleptic Argentinean lol.)

A/N: Words in _italics_ with no quote marks ("" or '') around them are the thoughts of Satine.

Words in **_bold italics_** with single quote marks ('') around them are the thoughts of Christian.

Words in _italics_ with single quote marks ('') around them are the thoughts of Harold Zidler.

Words in _italics_ with double quote marks ("") around them are past quotes from the last chapter(s) or from the movie.

~~Begin Chapter~~

Jude set Satine on the couch in her living room. He got a cup of cold water and set it on the little couch side table. He sat down, putting Satine's head on his lap. He lightly slapped her cheeks, "Sara, Sara, are you alright? Wake up!"

Satine woke up and shot up looking around, "What, what happened?"

"You went out like a narcoleptic!" Jude said. "What happened? Someone called out something and you looked their way, it looked like you had seen a ghost! You passed out!"

"Oh, I must, I must have just been seeing things," Satine said. Jude looked a little concern.

"What was it?" Jude asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," Satine said walking near the window. Jude really wanted to know, but he knew not to go past anything when Sara said she didn't want to talk about it.

"Well, alright," Jude said, "but if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here to talk to."

"I know," Satine said. She picked up a script, and smiled. "Let's work!"

"Alright, uh, should we do the motions too?" Jude asked. Satine nodded.

"It may help," Satine said.

"Where should we start from?"

"We'll start from, 'Will the lovers be meeting in the Penniless writer's humble flat?' scene," Satine said flipping a few pages. Jude looked through the book and found it. 

"Alright! Okay," Jude cleared his voice. "Miss Satine, I haven't quite finished that new scene, the uh, 'Will the lovers be meeting the Penniless sitar's humble abode?' scene and I was wondering if I could work on it with you later tonight."

"Who'll play the Duke?" Satine asked. 

"I will," Jude said. Then he put on an annoying high voice, "But my dear, I arranged a magnificent supper for us in the gothic tower tonight!" Jude switched voices, "Well it's not that important we can work on it tomorrow."

Satine looked as if she were insulted, "Oh how dare you! 'The Lover _Will_ Be Meeting in the Sitar's Humble Abode scene is the most important in the production! We will work on it tonight until I am completely satisfied!"

Jude smiled, he really like Sara's acting, and he put on the Duke's voice, "B-but my dear!"

"My dear Duke, excuse me," Satine said and made as if she were walking away.

"I'm sorry," Jude said in the lead character's voice and walked off. 

"Alright, good job," Satine said. She patted Jude on the back, "See you can act!"

"I'm just afraid what'll happen when we're performing front of an audience," Jude said. Satine laughed lightly.

"Don't worry, with the lights on brightly, you won't even see them that well; it'll be like they're not eve there!" Satine said.

"Really?" Jude asked. Satine nodded. "Okay."

~~In the Theatre~~

Christian sat in the front row thinking that night, in the middle of the night. He tried to get the image out of his mind, but he couldn't, it looked so much like her. But her hair was in her face, he wasn't sure. He eagerly waited for the day to break to go see her, he had to know. 

It wasn't unusual for him to be up at nights, he had really never been able to sleep after Satine's death. **_'It's not like I got much sleep with her anyway,'_ he thought to himself and grinned.******

Sadie woke up in the middle of night and got up. She got dressed in regular clothes; she couldn't sleep for some reason that night. It was unusual for her; she usually got great nights of sleep. Tonight she decided to just walk around until she got tired. 

She walked down from the flats in the theatre and onto the stage. She saw Christian in the front row, grinning slightly and a glazed look over his face. He obviously hadn't heard her. She walked down the stage and sat next to Christian and shook him. He snapped back to reality and looked at her.

"Huh?" he asked.

"It looked like you were sleeping with your eyes open," Sadie said.

"Well, sometimes that happens, but I'm just going back into memories," Christian said. "For some reason, that woman that man was carrying, she looked familiar."

"Like Satine?" Sadie asked. Christian looked at her.

"Yes."

"I'd like to know more about Satine, I thought she was a fictional character," Sadie said. Christian looked up and stretched his back.

"No, not truthfully, she was real," Christian said. "She was a courtesan; she sold her love to men. But she had my love, and I had hers in return. She had my heart, and our love was real. She died with my heart, and so my heart can't be with anyone else, not even you Sadie."

Sadie looked at him, "What?"

"I'm depressed, not blind," Christian said silently. "I know you had an infatuation with me, but I can't feel the same way about you. My heart is only with Satine."

"I understand," Sadie said. She really wasn't hurt by this, she did just have an infatuation with Christian, and it wouldn't last long at all. But when she saw that man carrying that woman, she seemed attracted to him. But she shook the feelings; she wanted to get to know the man before she made any true judgments of her feelings on him.

"I'm glad," Christian said. "Now I think you should get some sleep. We still have a lot of work to do tomorrow."

"What about you?" Sadie asked. Christian had a hover of a smile on his lips but it vanished.

"I never truly sleep," Christian said. "I'll be just fine."

"Alright," Sadie said and she walked off back to her room. 

~~Next Day~~

There was much work to be done during the day; so much that Cephus and Christian didn't get the time to go see Satine and Jude during the early or mid day hours. They had to go see them near the end of the day, around sundown. 

Cephus knocked on the door to Satine's flat, and Jude answered…in just a button up shirt and under pants, "Yes?"

"Hello, Mr. Latter, is Sara in?" Cephus asked trying not to ask why Jude was scantily clad. Jude nodded.

"Yes hold on," He turned around. "Sara, hey Sara, Director Cephus is here with another gentleman."

"I'll be right out!" Satine called from the bathroom. Jude wandered into the dining hall and got his pants that were torn to near shreds.

"Stupid dogs…" he muttered as he tied to sew it all back together. Christian was a little shaky; the voice was all too familiar.

"Yes?" the voice said. Christian looked up, they locked eyes, they both felt faint, very faint. They couldn't believe their eyes. 

"Sa-Satine?!" Christian gasped. Satine couldn't find her voice. Jude got up a confused look on his face.

"Sir, her name isn't Satine, it's Sara Christian," Jude said. Satine just nodded, she couldn't let her past be caught up with her. She had to remain Sara Christian.

Christian couldn't believe it. It was Satine, but she agreed to being Sara Christian! **_'Nice name she picked though,' _**his mind said. 

"I'm Sara Christian," Satine said, "What do you want?"

"You," Christian unintentionally said. Satine backed up a little bit and Jude stepped in front of her.

"Excuse me?!" Jude said. 

"I didn't say anything," Christian said. Jude stepped up a hard scowl on his face.

"No, you did, you said you what? Wanted her?" Jude said. "Well, I'm sorry, but you can't have her."

"What?" Christian said a look of confusion plastered on his face.

"You can't have her!" Jude nearly shouted.

"Who are you to make that decision? Her husband?" Christian shot back. Jude stepped back a bit, he was faulted a bit when it came to insults, and he wasn't sure to take that as an insult or not.

Christian misinterpreted that look on Jude's face, his eyes went wide. A look of hurt and confusion plastered on his face, he turned around and walked out.

Director Cephus and Jude had no idea what was going on. Cephus said, "You still have the parts."

He walked out after Christian.

Jude turned to Satine, but she wasn't there. He looked around and found her in the bedroom, "What's the matter Satine? Who was that?"

"It was Christian," Satine said. "I thought he was dead."

"Why did he call you Satine?" Jude asked. Satine looked up at him with a tear stained face. Jude immediately got more concerned and sat down next to Satine and pulled her into a hug. "What is it?"

"Jude," Satine said breaking from his hug, "I haven't been completely honest with you."

Jude looked confused. Satine started to explain everything.

~~West End Theatre~~

Christian was yelling in frustration on the stage and kicking a few things over. He yelled, "NO! NO! God, please no!"

Toulouse, Narky, Tork and Satie looked at him with concern. Christian saw them backstage through tear filled eyes. He sobbed a little, "Satine's alive!"

They looked shocked, they couldn't believe it. Toulouse walked forward, "Are you sure?"

Christian nodded, he sat down against a wall, his head in his arms, "I saw her, Toulouse! She's even married!"

"No, it can't be her," Toulouse said. "If she was alive she would be with you! She loves you and I know it!"

"Shut-up Toulouse!" Christian sobbed. "She doesn't love me, if she did, then she would be with me!"

Toulouse didn't know what to say. He looked at the others for some help. He then walked over to the others and said in a whisper, "We will go see her ourselves; we have to get to the bottom of this."

Christian sobbed against the wall, he didn't want to believe it, but he did. He thought she loved him, so why wasn't she with him? Why wasn't she beside him, hugging him and kissing him? Christian could only sob now; this pain was worse than when she "died."

Sadie sat in the back row; she saw all that took place. She had to find out about Satine. So she went to go see Satine, by herself.

~~In Satine's Flat~~

Jude was struck dumb by Satine's story. He was a little mad that she kept this from him, but he was more sad for her, because she was told a lie, and she was made to leave. 

"I'm so sorry to have kept this from you for a year and a half," Satine said.

"And when were you going to tell me?" Jude asked over his shoulder. He was behind her now on the bed. 

"Never," Satine said quietly.

"Why not? Sara-"

"Satine," Satine corrected.

"Satine," Jude said, "I'm your friend aren't I?"

"Yes."

"You could've told me, I would've thought none the less of you," Jude said.

"You said you didn't like the cancan dancers at the Moulin Rouge," Satine said, sobbing a little. "I was worse than them, though. I was the major courtesan; I sold my love to men."

"You didn't sell your love to Christian though," Jude said. "You loved him, truly madly and deeply yes?"

"Yes," Satine said not so quietly.

"Then, that love would surely forgive you of your sins," Jude said. "I can tell, you two had, no you two _have, a love that is strong and will last forever."_

"No, not anymore," Satine said.

"Why not?" Jude asked.

"When you paused after he asked if you were my husband," Satine said. Jude already realized it.

"Oh no, Satine, I'm sorry, I ruined everything!" Jude said. 

"No, you didn't," Satine said. "I should have put things straight then and there."  
  


"No, you were shocked, speechless, the love of your life was back from the dead and you didn't know what to say! It's not your fault Satine!" Jude turned to her and turned her around. He pulled her into a hug, "It's not your fault."

Outside it was raining, like heaven wept as well for Satine and Christian's situation, but someone wasn't weeping. Outside Sadie watched she wasn't sure what was going on inside when she saw Jude pull Satine into a caring hug. Not wanting to witness anything wrong, she made her way back to the West End Theatre hailing a cab.

~~At the Theatre~~

"Toulouse, the rain is really picking up, I don't think we can cross half way London to see if this woman really is Satine," Satie said looking from the window to Toulouse. Toulouse looked a little crestfallen.

"Then we will go tomorrow," Toulouse said. "But whenever, we have to see if it is truly Satine!" 

"Look, a carriage is coming through that wall of falling water!" Narky said pointing to a cab being pulled quickly along by two large horses. It stopped out in front of the theatre. Sadie stepped out of it and walked hurriedly to the doors of the theatre after paying the cabby. 

Toulouse, Narky, Tork and Satie greeted her at the door. Toulouse looked up at her, "What were you doing out in that beginnings of a flood?"

"I went to see this Satine," Sadie said. 

"You saw her?!" Tork said.

"What did she look like?" Narky asked.

"She looked pale, and tired, she had red hair. She looked beautiful, and-" Sadie wasn't sure to go on.

"And?" Toulouse said in anticipation.

"And she was hugging someone in a caring embrace," Sadie said. "I'm not sure what was going on."

"The description sounds like the Sparkling Diamond," Narky said.

"But that description could fit hundreds of women in the world and in London," Toulouse said, not wanting to believe Satine was alive and with someone else and not with Christian.

"Toulouse, the first rehearsal is the day after tomorrow, we could just wait until then," Satie said quietly. Toulouse nodded.

"We will just wait until then. And until then we'll have to make sure that Christian doesn't do anything irrational," Toulouse said making a motion like he was going to kill himself. They all nodded.

~~On Friday~~

The past two days, Jude stayed with Satine comforting her, and they rehearsed a little. Then Friday came and they caught a cab to the West End Theatre. 

They walked in with each other and went to the director.

"Welcome to the first day of rehearsal!" Cephus bellowed to everyone so they could hear him in the rafters. "Today we'll rehearse 'The Elephant Meeting' scene. Positions you two," Cephus said to Jude and Satine. "We'll start from your line Sara."

"Her name is Satine!" Christian said not even looking up, his eyes were tear filled.

"Whatever! Just pick it up from your line, Satine."

"This is a perfect place for a poetry reading, don't you think?" Satine said her line acting very sexy. Jude turned to her, a nervous look on his face for his part. "Poetic enough for you?"

"Y-yes," Jude said.

"How about some dinner, maybe some champagne?" Satine acted like she was getting a bottle.

"I'd prefer to just get all over and done with."

"Oh," Satine walked over a little bit. "Then why don't you come down here and we'll get it all over and done with."

"I'd prefer to do it standing."

"Oh..."

"You don't have to stand I mean," they continued the scene, all the time Christian glared up at Jude. All the hate and anger in his eyes, if looks could kill, Jude would've died fifty times over.

"I can't believe it," Satine recited her line, "I'm in love. I'm in love with a young, handsome, talented duke."

Jude chuckled, "Duke?"

"Mm, not that the title matters of course," Satine smiled.

"I'm not a duke," Jude said.

"Not a duke?"

"I'm a writer."

"mm..a writer?"

"Yes a writer."

"No!"

"Toulouse..."

"Toulouse? Oh no! You're not another one of Toulouse's oh-so-talented, charmingly bohemian, tragically impoverished protégés?"

"Well you might say that," Jude smiled a bit.

"Oh no!"

"Stop!" Christian yelled. Cephus looked at him with confusion.

"Why? They were doing so well," Cephus said. Christian got up and walked on stage.

"I do not believe you!" he said to Jude. "You need to put more feeling into your song!"

Satine didn't like the way this was going. Jude seemed a little insulted but a little more irritated. He looked at Christian with annoyance and said, "Well then, why don't you show me?"

"Gladly," Christian said. He didn't even pick up a script. "We'll take it from the song." Christian cleared his throat and then began. "My gift is my song! And this one's for you and you can tell everybody that this is your song." He took Satine's hands in his. "It maybe quite simple but now that it's done. I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, that I put down in words, how wonderful life is now you're in the world." He started to dance with her. "Sat on the roof, and I kicked off the moss, for some of these verses well they, they got me quite cross. But the sun's been kind, while I wrote this song. It's for people like you that keep it turned on." He dipped her. "So excuse for getting, but these thing I do. You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue!" He quickly kissed the top of her eyes. "Well the thing is, what I really mean, yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen! And you can tell everybody this is your song! It maybe quite simple but, now that it's done. I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, that I put down in words, how wonderful life is now you're in the world. I hope you don't mind, oh I hope you don't mind that I put down in words how wonderful life is now you're in the world!"

When they finished everyone was in awe, especially Satine, but it was quickly gone when he stood up and tore away from her practically.

"That's how you should do it, Jude," Christian spat. "A good actor leaves their opposite in awe."

He looked at Satine with some anger, **_'Just like you kept me in awe, acting like you loved me.'_**

_It was just an act_, Satine thought herself. _He's_ _become quite the actor. _

Jude walked up to her, he could tell she was a little hurt to find that Christian was just acting like he loved her in that scene. They performed the scene, and Jude did as well as Christian in the scene. Cephus applauded.

"This is great! I love it! Now, we'll start from the beginning! Places people! Jude, the desk," Cephus said pointing to the desk Toulouse set in the middle of the stage with a type writer on it with some paper. Jude set his script on the other side of the Typewriter that wasn't in view of the audience. He sat down and he started to type while saying, "The Moulin Rouge, a nightclub. A dancehall and bordello, ruled over by Harold Zidler, where the rich and powerful came to play with the young and beautiful creatures of the underworld. The most beautiful of all these, was the woman I loved, Satine. They called her 'The Sparkling Diamond' and she was the star, of the Moulin Rouge."

As Christian listened, tears rimmed his eyes, he glared up at Jude. Jealousy was rekindled, and the spark was in his heart near the dead dry brushes.  Christian looked around and didn't see Satine anywhere. Even as mad as he was seeing her brought a calm to his heart, but at the same time, it brought pain to think she was with Jude.

Behind Christian, just a few seats was Satine, she sat looking not at Jude, but Christian. Tears flowed freely from her eyes, to think Christian may not love her anymore. It was more than she could stand. But what she saw next sent her over the edge, Sadie walked up and Christian hugged her and kissed her! Sure, it was only on the cheek, but the sparks of jealousy started working in Satine. She got up and left, without warning. 

Jude heard the heels of shoes clicking and receding, he couldn't help but to look and he saw Satine leaving. From her posture it looked like she was in grief. He shot up and down the aisle after her. 

"What's going on?" Cephus asked, now starting to doubt he made the right casting choices. Christian looked where Jude was heading and he scowled. He got up and ran after him.

Out on the street Jude caught up with Satine, "Satine! Satine! What's the matter? Why'd you leave?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Satine said. Jude wouldn't give up this time, he had to know, he had to help his friend. 

"No, Satine, tell me," Jude said stopping her. "Satine, I want to help you. I do want to help you get Christian back, just let me help!"

Christian saw Jude stop Satine, and it was a little too rough-looking for his taste. He ran up pulled Satine away as gently, yet hurriedly as possible and then punched Jude right in between the eyes with all his might.

Jude stumbled back holding his forehead, "What the hell?!"

Satine went to him, "Jude, are you alright?!'

"Ah! Yeah, I think he just managed to fracture my forehead," Jude said. Christian was a little shocked to see Satine go to Jude and not thank him for saving her.

"Can't you be a little grateful that I save you from him?" Christian asked his hands balled up into fists.

"Save me from him? SAVE ME FROM HIM?! He wasn't doing anything to me that required me to be saved!" Satine said. Christian was taken a back a little from her tone of voice.

"Then why did he grab you?" 

"He was trying to make me talk, because he wanted to actually help me," Satine said.

"How does roughly grabbing your wrists qualify as helping you?!" Christian shook with rage.

"I don't want to talk about it with you," Satine said. By then Jude was starting to loose consciousness. 

"No, Satine, talk," Jude said but he wasn't heard by either of them. Satine helped him up, putting his arm around her shoulder. She hailed a cab and him take them to her place.

Christian was left on the sidewalk, shaking with rage, jealousy, and a tinge of hate was starting to sprout. Sadie walked up to him.

"Christian, what happened?" she asked.

"She has chosen him," Christian said quietly and with grief flooding his voice. He walked back, wondering why Satine left in the first place. She had left right after… '**_You kissed and hugged Sadie...'_** he thought to himself. Wait, did that mean that she still had feelings for him?

Christian paused a moment, perhaps there was a glimmer of a chance, but then why did she go with Jude? **_'Because you unexpectedly punched him in between the eyes like a damned caveman,'_** his mind stated like it was so obvious, but then again, it kinda was.

"Why does my heart cry? Feelings I can't fight," Christian sang softly under his breath as he walked back to the theatre, Sadie right behind him. A light rain had started.

~~Satine's flat~~

With the help of the cabby driver, Satine got Jude inside her flat and on the couch. She got a patch of ice in a bag and applied it lightly to Jude's forehead where a bruise was starting to form. 

"Oh, jeez, Jude are you alright?" Satine asked as Jude started to wake up.

"Un, yeah, a little headache throbs in my forehead though," Jude said putting his hand on Satine's to keep the ice on his head. Satine retracted her hand.

"I'm so sorry that Christian did that," Satine said unconsciously brushing her fingers through Jude's short spiky brown hair.

"Why didn't you discuss with him what was bothering you?" Jude asked. Satine shrugged.

"I didn't feel ready to discuss it with him," Satine said. Jude took her hand in his.

"Satine, my friend, you have to discuss this with him sooner or later, and it'd be much better if it was sooner," Jude said. "You were told he was dead a year and a half ago, if he was truly dead, you have gotten over it by now. But you held on to him, by your name and by your memory, he was alive, deep inside, I think you knew, but it just never reached your mind. Satine, stop thinking from your mind, and start thinking from here." Jude pointed to her heart, "You're heart tells the truth, not your mind."

Satine was just silent, his words were true, and she knew it, in her mind and in her heart.

~~End Chapter~~

**Gasps!!** Will they ever get back together?! Geez! Is it just me or do they just seem so clueless?? Don't ask me how it works, I'm just writing as it happens in my mind. Lol, I'm that kind of writer, the characters are there, I just write what they say happens from day to day.

Well, anyway, thanks for the reviews. Review more, I have Chapter Five written, more reviews I must receive before I post more.

Jester


	5. Chapter Five

**London Theatre!**

Hey! We last left our favorite couple (Satine and Christian of course lol) in utter confusion on each other's feelings when they haven't even gotten their own confusion of their own feelings about each other figured out!

Disclaimer: yes, again I still do not own Moulin Rouge, except on VHS and I hope to get the DVD soon though so I can watch it on my laptop.

Pre-A/N: Well, I find that Tork is actually "The Doctor." Well, I will continue calling him Tork as a name, and we'll call the Unconscious Argentinean Narky (short for Narcoleptic Argentinean lol.)

A/N: Words in _italics_ with no quote marks ("" or '') around them are the thoughts of Satine.

Words in **_bold italics_** with single quote marks ('') around them are the thoughts of Christian.

Words in _italics_ with single quote marks ('') around them are the thoughts of Harold Zidler.

Words in _italics_ with double quote marks ("") around them are past quotes from the last chapter(s) or from the movie.

~~Begin Chapter~~

Christian once again stayed up all night. He kept thinking of Satine, she had stolen his heart and all his thoughts, and no matter what he did he couldn't get them back. Even if she had broken his heart beyond repair, he still didn't have his heart back, those million pieces, every single one was Satine's and Satine's alone.

He decided to go take a walk, the night sky looked grim, but he wanted to walk anyway. He didn't take a cab to the park but just walked the few miles. 

~~With Satine~~

Satine couldn't sleep that night; she usually had these nights of insomnia about three times a week. Usually listening to some classical music helped her sleep, but sometimes it couldn't, like tonight.

Jude had gone back to his place so she was alone. Satine decided to take a walk in a park just a few miles away. She caught a late night cab there first. 

She walked along the path through the park and decided to take a rest next to the pond/lake on a bench. She didn't mind that the sky above looked ready to pour a waterfall, her own tears could cause a flood.

Unknown to her, Christian Adams was walking in the same park! He was coming along the other side of the pond/lake. He looked up at the sky, a thick blanket of clouds ready to release a rain as heavy as his heart and grief.

Then, like a miracle, the cloud coverage broke, letting a lone beam of moonlight flow through like a spotlight and it shone across the lake, on a lone bench, where Satine sat.

Christian had a sorrowful look on his face, but when he saw her in the moonlight, she looked so beautiful. Her white pale skin just seemed to glow almost silver, her blue eyes stood out somehow. Christian wanted to walk away, but his feet were drawn to walk around the pond/lake to her.

But unknown to him, another man had spotted her, an old, wrinkled man in a suit and top hat. He had a gruff look to him. He walked over to her, and sat down, "Hello young miss, I think I'd like your services tonight."

Satine looked at him and scooted away, "I'm not a prostitute!"

"Then what are you doing out so late? You will be mine; you're the most beautiful creature I've ever seen!" He grabbed Satine by the wrist and put his other hand on her chest. He threw her to the ground and took out a knife. "Hello, I'm Jack the Ripper! Prepare to die, after a pleasurable course of intercourse!"

"Leave me alone! HELP! HELP!" Satine yelled as she tried to get away from him but he put the blade to her throat.

"I could always do it the other way, kill you first then pleasure myself on your dead corpse!" He said pressing the blade into her soft porcelain skin.

Christian heard the cries of help, he ran. He ran to the other side and saw Satine; her clothes were ripped forcefully off, a blade to her neck. Christian shook with rage at her attacker and ran to him. He tackled him down yelling, "YAAAAAAAAAH! LEAVE HER ALONE!"

Satine quickly grabbed her things and covered herself again. She saw Christian fighting with the man. The man tried to stab him but Christian kept avoiding the blade while still throwing punches at the man. But then the man brought out another blade!

"NO!" Satine lurched forward and punched the hand that held the other blade. The hand was thrown back and the knife was let loose. Satine ran to the knife grabbed it and ran back. She stabbed the hand that held the other knife. The man yelled in pain, Christian grabbed the other knife and ran him through. The man started to convulse, then he was dead.

Satine had tears in her eyes, she was practically almost raped, and then she helped Christian kill him. Christian got up panting, the man may have been old, but he was strong. He looked at Satine, she looked at him, and they embraced in a hug. Satine cried in his arms and he comforted her. 

"It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's all over now," Christian said brushing his hand through her soft silky hair. He closed his eyes; it felt so good to have Satine in his arms.

"I'm so sorry, Christian," Satine sobbed. "I didn't know…"

"Sh, sh," Christian said. "We have to hide him."

"The pond/lake," Satine said. Christian nodded, and they dragged the body of Jack the Ripper into the pond/lake. "We can go wash up at my place."

Christian and Satine went over to her flat, neither speaking a word. Then when they got there, Christian stopped Satine, a look of confusion and sorrow in his eyes, "What happened?"

"That man-"

"No, I mean what happened a year and a half ago?"

"I-I thought you were dead." 

"I thought you were dead! What happened to that?"

"The doctor misdiagnosed my sickness; I had trouble breathing all the time because of the corsets. I had a bloody mouth," Satine explained, "I had scared my gums, when I fell from the swing, the scar never really closed properly, whenever I coughed, it would open again."

"I thought you had died, right in my arms. But if you lived," Christian choked. "Why didn't you see me?"

"I was told that you killed yourself," Satine said. "I wanted to see you, but the thought of seeing you dead would be more than I could stand."

"You heard that I killed myself?" Christian realized, it was his fault, he had shot the gun, no one knew. "When?"

"I had woken up, two hours after I had passed out," Satine said. Christian pulled her into a hug. "I'm so sorry Christian, I should've checked!"

"Wait, did Zidler know you were alive?"

"Yes, almost everyone did except Toulouse, Satie, Narky, and Tork," Satine said. Christian's eyes grew hard.

"Harry knew, and he didn't tell me! Marie, and Nini, even Chocolate, did they know?"

"No, not Chocolate, he wasn't there. Did Harry know you were alive?"

"He found out," Christian said. "They could've told us! We should've known about each other! Satine, I'm so sorry to have been edgy!"

Christian pulled Satine into a hug and started to kiss her. Then he asked, "Wait, what about Jude?"

"He's just a friend; I met him when I boarded the train in Paris. We tried a relationship, it didn't work, not for a few days," Satine said. "What about Sadie?"

"So he's not your husband?" Christian asked. Satine shook her head. "Thank God!"

"What about Sadie?"

"She's just my editor, I knew she had this thing for me, but I told her no," Christian said. "You still had my heart, and I don't want it back."

Satine smiled and they kissed. They kissed a most passionate kiss that could not be rivaled. This kiss was more passionate then when they had decided to become lovers in the first place. This kiss was a kiss of true undying love. They kissed again, a most passionate kiss, they broke a moment, and Christian started singing, "Never knew I could feel like this; like I've never seen the sky, before. Want to vanish inside your kiss"-he kissed her-"Listen to my heart, can you hear is sing? Telling me to give you everything"-he laid her on the bed-"Seasons may change winter to spring, but I love you, until the end of time." They started kissing more and then…

You don't expect me to continue do you? I'm only fifteen, I haven't done that yet…but you know what they do.

Outside the window, two faces peered in until the two had gone to bed then they left. Jude and Sadie walked down the street together.

"They're back together now," Sadie said smiling. "I'm so glad for them!"

"Yes, my friend will be happy now," Jude said. He and Sadie looked into each others eyes; they could see something in each other. "Do you…uh, do...you...want…breakfast, me with…"

Jude seemed a little tongue-tied. Sadie laughed a little and Jude felt like goo.

"I think breakfast, lunch and dinner with you would be great," Sadie said. Jude smiled like an idiot. (Oh come on, who didn't see this coming? Sadie is the name of Jude Law's wife! Duh!) They walked down the street hand in hand, laughing lightly and enjoying each other's company almost as much and Satine and Christian were enjoying each other's company.

~~Next Day~~

Sun shone through the window shining on the bad where Satine lay in Christian's arms. Christian woke first, seeing Satine's slumbering face in front of his. He smiled how wonderful life was now Satine was in his arms. He kissed her all over her face waking Satine. She smiled right when Christian kissed her straight on the lips.

"Good morning, Sunshine," Christian said breaking the kiss and then started nuzzling her. Satine giggled.

"Good morning, love," Satine said kissing Christian's cheek. Christian nibbled on her ear, Satine went into more giggles.

"How wonderful life is now you're in the world," Christian said kissing her neck.

"I love you," Satine said as Christian pulled her closer to him. "We have to get out of bed sooner or later to go to rehearsal!"

"Mm," Christian moaned, "Fine, we'll get out later!"

"How much later?"

"A few days," Christian said as he pulled the covers over them. They laughed like kids.

~~Rehearsal~~

Cephus paced about impatiently, "Where are those two?"

Jude and Sadie shrugged. Jude said, "Probably had a long night last night."

Sadie laughed, "Or perhaps it was too short for them."

Jude smiled. He held Sadie close to him. He started to kiss up and down her neck, then said, "Perhaps we can go and check on them."

"Yes do that!" Cephus said practically pushing them out the door. "And make out in the carriage not here!"

Jude and Sadie caught a cab and told the cabby to take them to Satine's flat. They closed the shades on the window. By the time they got to the flat, the cabby had to slam on the door to get their attention.

"Sir, ma'am, we're at your destination!" The cabby said.

"I'll say!" he heard Jude's voice. Five minutes later Jude and Sadie came out. Jude paid the cabby, "Thanks."

They walked up to the flat and knocked on the door.

~~Inside~~

"Someone's at the door," Satine giggled from under the sheets with Christian. 

"Your point is?" Christian asked. Satine laughed a little as he nibbled at her ear lobe. 

"Someone has to get it!" Satine said about to get up. Christian pulled her back.

"No, you save your energy," Christian said. "I'll get it."

Christian got up and put on his underpants and a button up shirt. He walked to the door mumbling about the rudeness of people knocking at the door at a time like this. He looked through the peep hole, "Oh, it's him."

Christian opened the door and saw Sadie with him too. He went behind the door, "Uh hello. What do you want? Oh and uh, Jude right? Well, anyway, sorry about uh the punch." Christian made a fist and motion like punching.

"Oh no, no problem happens a lot," Jude said. 

"Well, what is it?" Christian asked.

"Oh, we're here to get you two to rehearsal," Jude said. Christian groaned.

"I don't want to go!" Christian pouted as he kicked the floor. Then he brightened, "Tell them we're sick!"

"You want us to lie?" Sadie asked.

"Oh come on, just today! We'll go tomorrow! We promise, don't we, Darling?" Christian yelled back to Satine.

"Yes!" Satine yelled back. Christian turned back to them.

"Will you?" he asked.

"I don't know, after you punched me like that," Jude said scratching the back of his neck. Christian put on a puppy dog pout (aw, Ewan with a puppy dog pout…can you picture it too?) and Jude nodded, "fine, we will.

Christian hugged him, "Thank you! Now, get out!" Christian pushed them out and locked the door. He turned back, and went into the bedroom tearing off his shirt and underpants as he jumped on the bed and went under the covers with Satine.

~~At the Theatre~~

Unfortunately, Toulouse, Narky, Satie and Tork didn't know of the reuniting of Satine and Christian, so they worried about it like mothers. 

"We have to figure out a way to bring them back together!" Toulouse said pacing in a circle, followed by the other two. "Now that Jude and Sadie are taken with each other, Christian and Satine are open for each other."

"Yes, but have you seen how hostile they are?" Satie said. "It may be quite the task to bring them together again."

"Of course, we could always make amends with them, play the psychiatrist, force them to listen to us," Narky said. "And then-hic"

Narky collapsed behind Tork and Toulouse accidentally stepped on Narky's face.

"Ipe! Sorry! Sorry!" Toulouse said backing up into Satie who fell back. 

"I'm the only one not affected by this chain of collapses—oof!" Tork was hit in the back when the door swung open. Jude and Sadie stepped in and looked at the four bohemians.

"Oops," They said at the same time. Then Cephus ran up stepping on Narky's abdomen.

"Well? Where are they?" Cephus asked. Narky gasped for air and wheezed. Cephus looked down and then jumped off, "I'm so sorry!!"

"You stepped on my face!" Narky yelled holding his nose. 

"Sorry, that was my fault!" Toulouse said. Narky growled.

"My features are disrupted! How dare you! Come here you half minded little dwarf!" Narky yelled. Toulouse yelled and ran away. Tork got up and turned to Jude and Sadie. He shook a finger at them.

"Haven't you got any respect?! You nearly gave me a heart attack bursting through the door like some anti-bohemian group!" Tork said.

"Sorry," Jude said hiding a bit behind Sadie. Sadie just laughed at him.

"Needing me to defend thee?" Sadie asked. Jude nodded.

"Just give him that Look of Death!" Jude said. Sadie gave Jude that look. He turned her around, "Yeah, that's the one!"

Tork saw it and went on his way, "Then again, you didn't know I was there so it is all well here."

Satie just got up and dusted himself off and went back to his composing.

Cephus walked up to Jude, "Well where are they?"

"They're in bed," Jude said. "They're down with a bit of a cold."

"Yes, so they're taking care of each other," Sadie said. Toulouse ran up.

"So they can stand each other now?" He asked. They shrugged.

~~Next Day~~

Christian again woke up with Satine in his arms. He smiled, it wasn't a dream, this was real. He kissed her on the nose and nuzzled her awake, "Morning, sunshine, time to get up and go to rehearsal."

"Mm, already it's a new day?" Satine asked. Christian kissed her and smiled.

"Yes," He said kissing along her neck. 

"Well, okay then, let's get dressed," Satine said. She got up wrapping the sheets around her. She looked through her closet for a new outfit then saw blood spots on the floor. She looked at the sheets. Her eyes widened. "Oh no!"

"Uh, Satine, we have a problem," Christian said. Satine looked at him holding up his bloodied clothes. "We have to wash the clothes, and ourselves!"

"Blood doesn't come off easily," Satine said. Christian grinned and walked up to her kissing her neck. "Why are you smiling?"

"We'll have to spend a while in the bath tub to get it out," Christian said. "Your bathtub is big enough for two people, if you catch my drift."

"Mm," Satine thought. "Alright."

She and Christian went to the bathtub, filled it and washed themselves for a few hours, refilling the tub with warm water occasionally.

~~End Chapter~~

Finally! They're back together! Yay, but what about the clueless ness of Toulouse and the others?! We'll see if they get it cleared up. Opening night soon to come yeah! Short chapter I know, sorry, I'll try making the next one longer.

Honestly, writing romance isn't my thing. And I don't write explicit things unless it is overly violent and bloody. So NO lemon in this! Yuck, I haven't even made out with a guy in my life! (In a way, some may think that sad since I'm fifteen, but I'm not in the least bit attractive so most guys just skip over y'know. Shallow b******s…)

Well, how joo like? Eh? Good eh? Yeppers, I should hope so! Lol. Anyway, visit my Jude Law Shrine, particularly the Forums, 

Okay now that's that! More chapters to come soon! But reviews first I must get! (Yoda talk…whoa…)

Jester


	6. Chapter Six

**London Theatre!**

Disclaimer: yes, again I still do not own Moulin Rouge, except on VHS and I hope to get the DVD soon though so I can watch it on my laptop.

Pre-A/N: Well, I find that Tork is actually "The Doctor." Well, I will continue calling him Tork as a name, and we'll call the Unconscious Argentinean Narky (short for Narcoleptic Argentinean lol.)

A/N: Words in _italics_ with no quote marks ("" or '') around them are the thoughts of Satine.

Words in **_bold italics_** with single quote marks ('') around them are the thoughts of Christian.

Words in _italics_ with single quote marks ('') around them are the thoughts of Harold Zidler.

Words in _italics_ with double quote marks ("") around them are past quotes from the last chapter(s) or from the movie.

~~Begin Chapter~~

Finally that afternoon, around two thirty, Christian and Satine got out of the bathroom, their clothes cleaner after scrubbing it in the sink. They got out, dried off, though their skin was all wrinkled from the moisture. 

"Well, time for rehearsal!" Satine said dressing in her favorite red dress.  Christian smiled as he dressed in his now bloodless suit.

"Sad isn't it? Precious moments we can't spend in each other's arms," Christian said. Satine smiled.

"Yes, but we still get to see each other," Satine said. Christian pulled her up to him from behind.

"Yes, but holding you in my arms is much better," Christian said nuzzling her neck taking in her sweet scent. "I can't believe I used scented soap…"

"Believe it," Satine said nuzzling his neck then. "Besides, you smell nice."

"I prefer an Irish Spring," Christian said kissing her neck. A knock at the door made them break. Christian sighed heavily, "Do we _have to answer it?"_

"Yes, it might be something important about the play," Satine said. 

"We've made love countless times, we've known each other for one and a half years, but you still don't seem to get that I don't care about the play," Christian said playfully. "I only care about you."

"Fine," Satine said smiling, "don't get it."

"Oh, fine," Christian said playfully as he pulled Satine with him, "_we'll_ answer it!"

"Okay," Satine said pulling up the strand of her dress over her shoulder.  Christian looked through the peep hole.

"Oh, it's Jude and Sadie again…and they're kissing…rather passionately…will they get a room already?!" Christian said. Satine hit him playfully on the chest.

"No need to keep looking at them! Nor to leave them out there, open the door!" Satine said. Christian opened the door, immediately Jude and Sadie pulled apart trying to maintain their dignity.

"What?" Christian said his head popped from around the door, his body was behind it with Satine.

"Well, uh, it's time for rehearsal, and you promised you two would go today," Jude said. Christian sighed.

"We did," he said then from the ground he looked up to Jude, "But we didn't say we'd be on time."

"Christian!" Satine scolded, "We'll go now!"

"Yes, darling," he said. "Just give us a sex, I mean sec."

Jude and Sadie busted out laughing when they shut the door. After a few minutes Christian and Satine came out, looking more dignified than earlier. Jude and Sadie tried to contain their laughter. They caught a cab to the West End Theatre.

"Finally! I thought you would never come!" Cephus yelled. "Now, let's get to work!"

For the next few months, they worked, rehearsed, got closer. Christian and Satine could definitely see that Jude and Sadie were meant to be, and that they were not being slow to getting together.

Toulouse, Narky, Satie and Tork were well relieved when they saw Christian and Satine back together. Together backstage…uh, they should know better than to act like that at work! (A/N: I know a lot of you think they should control their urges, but come on, they haven't been together for a year and a half here! They have some catching up to do! Lol)

Then, finally the final week of rehearsal was at hand. The last few weeks they were using all the lighting and props like it was opening night. Cephus applauded the last night of work.

"Bravo! Bravo! Excellent work! Excellent! Now, everyone, gather round!" Cephus said getting on stage. He looked up, "Even you guys in the rafters! Come down here!"

Everyone gathered around. Cephus smiled, "I thought I'd let you all know, you are all the best crew I've ever worked with! You've all done great jobs in putting what can be done in this project! Opening night is in three days, on Monday night, you should all be here in the morning to help set up. You've all done such a great job, and I'm honored to have worked with all of you. A big round of applause for yourselves! Come on!" Every clapped. "And a special round of applause for our writer, editor, leading lady and leading man!" 

Everyone clapped wildly and whistled. Then Jude stepped forward and calmed everyone down, and pointed to Cephus, "And a big, wildly bohemian crazy round of applause for our director, ally, friend and all around good guy, Cephus Johnson!"

At that moment everyone yelled and laughed and clapped and whistled and nearly mobbed Cephus like overly dedicated fans.

"Ah! Thanks, but too much love! Too much love!" he yelled from a mountain of people on him trying to pat him on the back or give him a hug.

Jude, Sadie, Christian and Satine laughed lightly as they stood to the side. Then Christian and Jude pulled Satine and Sadie with them and they jumped in the fray!

~~Opening Night~~

There was a long line going down the street from the ticket taker. As people passed by, they joined the line after seeing the poster. The line only grew as time went by. Women pulled their men to the line after seeing a poster of the cover of the book A Love Which Will Last Forever.

"Look at all those people out there!" Jude said peeking from out behind the curtain. Already the theatre was full, people even standing in aisles and it was an hour until the beginning of the show.

Satine patted his back, "Don't worry! You won't see them when the light is on you!"

Jude sat back and started to do breathing exercising and fluttering his lips and shaking. "Are you sure? Oh riki-tiki-tiki-tiki."

Christian laughed; Jude was acting similar to how he was when he was to perform for Satine. He patted Jude on the back, "Don't worry! It'll all be good! Just get into your character and you won't worry, as you play Christian, you won't have to worry about Jude."

"That's the thing, I don't know if I can play you!" Jude said. Christian shrugged.

"Just try," He said. 

Jude started to feel a little queasy, "I think…ugh…I'm going to…."

Jude fell to his knees, hands on his mouth. Christian realized what was happening, he kicked back Jude's knees, caught him held him up at an angle making Jude's head point down, "Not on the suit!" And then Jude vomited.

"Oh great, our leading man is sick! Get him in the back, take care of him," He told Sadie as he put Jude up right. 

"Who's going to take his place?" Sadie asked. Christian was starting to strip Jude down.

"I am," he said. "Get him over there, if I'm going to play myself two years ago, I'm going to have to wear the blue suit!"

In a few minutes Christian had on the blue suit and Jude had on the tux. He grabbed a passing stage worker, "Hey, go get that mess cleaned up please."

"Yes, sir," he said and went to fetch a mop and bucket. 

Cephus saw Sadie helping Jude back stage to the bedrooms. He followed, "What's going on?"

"Jude got major stage fright!" Sadie said putting Jude on the bed.

"What?! Then who's going to take his place?!" Cephus said obviously getting worried.

"Don't worry, the best man is going to take his place," Sadie said. 

"Christian?" Cephus asked his face brightening.

"No, Toulouse, yes, of course Christian!" Sadie said. "Now, get out there! I have to take care of Jude."

"Right," Cephus walked hurriedly to just backstage near the front. He saw Christian. "Christian! Christian! Do you know all the lines and lyrics?"

"Of course I do! I not only wrote them, I performed them and I lived it!" Christian reminded Cephus.

"Oh yes, of course, well go out there! It's time!!"

"Okay!" Christian went behind the curtains to the type writer on the desk and sat down in just his under shirt and pants, a fake mustache and beard on and put on a grief filled face, he had splashed water on it earlier to make it look like he was crying.

Front stage in front of the curtain, Toulouse sat in his Sitar costume singing softly, but enough for all the theatre to hear, "There was a boy, a very strange enchanted boy. They say he wandered very far, very far over land and sea. A little shy, and sad of eye, but very wise was he. And then one day, one magic day he passed my way." The curtains opened showing Christian at his typewriter, crying. "While we spoke of many things, fools and kings, this he said to me," Christian started typing. "The greatest thing, you'll ever learn if just to love and be loved in return."

Then Christian started talking as he typed, "The Moulin Rouge…"

The opening night was quite the success. Christian did a much better playing him than Jude did! By the end of the play, not a single woman had a dry eye. Even the men were pulled a little to the brink. 

When the curtain closed everyone shot up and applauded uproariously, "Bravo! Encore! Encore!"

Even Oscar Wilde was there with his lover Boise; they stood and applauded as well in the front row. 

The curtain opened again to the actors and they bowed as roses were tossed, money even and yells. Director came up and gave a bundle of roses to Satine. He turned and bowed with the rest.

The curtains closed behind him he raised his arms settling everyone down. He said, "Well, I'd like to thank you all for coming; especially my good friend, Oscar Wilde, one of the best playwrights of our time!"

He pointed to Oscar in the front row, people applauded.

"Now, I am certainly not a writer, so I definitely didn't write this play, so allow me to introduce the writer, Christian Adams!" He pulled Christian from behind the curtain. Everyone cheered. Christian grinned nervously; his face had red on it as he waved. 

"Speech! Speech!" the audience yelled. Christian raised his arms in motion for them to settle down.

"Well, uh, I'm not certainly as good as Oscar Wilde in imagination. To tell you the truth, this story is based on personal experience. When it came to writing about love, truth, freedom and beauty right off the bat I was lost! But now, I've been in love, I can write now!" Christian said. "Well, uh I don't know what else to say except, uh, say hello to the love of my life, Satine!"

Satine's eyes widened as she was pushed out by Toulouse to Christian. She went into his arm and they shared a kiss right on stage. Everyone went, "aww..."

Then they broke it realizing everyone was watching. Christian grinned like an idiot, "Uh, hehe, well this is a truly Bohemian play, and this is truly the love my life! She didn't die; she was alive here in London, and in my heart. And these are the four goofy Bohemian friends, Toulouse!" Toulouse stepped out waving. "Satie!" Satie stepped out bowing a little. "Narky!" Narky stepped out like a hero and all the girls were swooned. "And Tork!" Tork stepped out waving.

The audience cheered and clapped and whistled.

"And a thanks to our two best friends, Sadie and Jude for helping us get back together!" Satine yelled. Sadie and Jude walked out, amazingly Jude didn't feel bad. They waved and everyone cheered and whistled and stomped. 

The audience stomped and cheered. It was so delighting it would run for fifty years! In a few days everyone was talking about it, even Oscar Wilde, at the end of his plays recommended that they see that play.

Its fame soon started to flow across the English Channel into France. Down to Paris, and the hill of Montmarte, people talked of the play. Train tickets and boat tickets were getting sold out as people flocked to London to see the play. 

At Champlain Publishers, Old Champlain heard of it from one of his eleven editors. He even saw it on the cover of the newspaper! He tore up the newspaper and yelled in anger, "What is this shit?!"

He yelled across the table to his editors, "Look at this! We said we weren't going to promote this book at all!"

"_We_ didn't, sir, it was Sadie Carnell," Reginald said.

"How?! She didn't get permission from me to make this into a script and sell it out as a play!"

"She made the writer make the scripts, sir," Louis said. "Besides, after the play came out, the book has reached a best sellers list!"

"Our publishing company is popular and famous now!" Joseph said.

"I don't care! I won't have bohemian shit being promoted by us!" Old Champlain hit the table.

"Then why did we agree to publish it?"  Ronald asked.

"I was sick with grief for the loss of my younger brother the Duke," Old Champlain said. "I didn't know what I was doing!"

"What do you plan on doing?" Harold asked. Old Champlain looked up and turned around.

"I'll deal with it on my own!" Old Champlain went in his office and slammed the doors. The editors exchanged nervous looks. They knew that their boss was insane with grief after his brother died. They had heard him swear to kill the people who caused his death.

Inside his office, Old Champlain started packing, "I knew it! I knew he was alive! I just knew it! I'm going to kill him for killing my brother; I'm going to kill her for breaking my brother's heart. What little the scrawny bastard had! I may have found you the most annoying brother in the world, Duke, but no one kills you but me. I'll restore the family's honor!"

~~Montmarte~~

As happy as Harold Zidler was, he couldn't have been more worried, with all this fame Christian and Satine got, Duke's older brother would certainly know and go to London to finish them! Harold was also panicked for himself; he knew that Christian and Satine would be angry at him for not telling them about each other's living.

Harold had reopened the Moulin Rouge; Nini was now the star of the Moulin Rouge, though she was not a Sparkling Diamond, she was still very popular with the men. 

Harold wasn't sure if he should temporarily close the Moulin Rouge and go to London to help them…warn them…

Finally he came to his decision he went to the stage manager, "Take care of the Moulin Rouge for me. I'm going to London."

"What? Why?" He asked.

"I have to warn Christian and Satine about the Duke's older brother. Even after two years he's mad with grief! I'm leaving tomorrow!" Zidler said as he hurried off and packed.

~~In London~~

Christian had moved in with Satine. They lived of the wealth and royalties of the play. One day, as they lay in bed on their days off Christian mumbled in her ear, "I'm going to writer a story, about love overcoming _all_ obstacles, like ours did."

Satine turned to him smiling, "I'm sure it'll be as successful as this one."

"I don't care, as long as the story is told," Christian said kissing her. Satine smiled.

"I don't care either," Satine said pulling the covers over them.

~~Jude's mansion~~

"God, Sadie, how did we end up together? I wonder if it was fate, or coincidence," Jude said as he spooned with Sadie.

"There are no coincidences," Sadie turned to him and smiled. "Fate, dear Jude, fate brought us together."

"I owe fate one," Jude smiled as he kissed Sadie.

~~West End Theatre~~

There was a party going on at the West End, Toulouse, Narky, Satie, and Tork celebrated with their fellow bohemian friends and co-workers. The play was the biggest success in their entire career! They yelled and drank Absinthe and laughed. 

"Quiet everyone!" Toulouse yelled out. Everyone quieted down and turned to Toulouse who raised his glass. "Here's to the writer of the world's first Bohemian show!"

"Here! Here!" other yelled. Before they drank Toulouse continued.

"And here's to the Sparkling Diamond! But above all, here's to the love that will last forever! Here's to Christian and Satine, for their love was so strong it spilt out onto Jude and Sadie and helped make this play the success it is!" Toulouse raised his glass.

"Yeah! Woot! Woohoo!" Everyone cheered. "Here! Here! I hear that! To Love!"

They drank and partied more unto the night's end and the day's beginning.

~~End Chapter~~

O.o no! It's shorter than the last one! Sorry! But there wasn't much to write for this one! Well, uhm, anyway, OH NO! New bad guy! The Duke's older brother is the head of Champlain Publishers! Eek! He wants to kill Christian and Satine!

If anyone can tell me why he wants Christian dead, then I'll get out the next chapter very soon!! 

Actually this is the shortest chapter yet! Lol. Well, for any Jude Law fans visit here:

Well tata! Thanks for reading this far!

Jester


	7. Chapter Seven

**London Theatre**

Disclaimer: yes, again I still do not own Moulin Rouge, except on VHS and I hope to get the DVD soon though so I can watch it on my laptop.

Pre-A/N: Well, I find that Tork is actually "The Doctor." Well, I will continue calling him Tork as a name, and we'll call the Unconscious Argentinean Narky (short for Narcoleptic Argentinean lol.)

A/N: Words in _italics_ with no quote marks ("" or '') around them are the thoughts of Satine.

Words in **_bold italics_** with single quote marks ('') around them are the thoughts of Christian.

Words in _italics_ with single quote marks ('') around them are the thoughts of Harold Zidler.

Words in _italics_ with double quote marks ("") around them are past quotes from the last chapter(s) or from the movie.

~~Begin Chapter~~

Arriving in London in a few days time Zidler hurried about the streets asking people for directions to the theatre play A Love Which Will Last Forever. Then he caught a cab to the West End Theatre. All the way there he was thinking of how he was going to say the truth and reasons as to why he didn't say anything to Christian two and a half years ago.

~~West End Theatre~~

There was no show today, which was a relief as since there were usually crowds outside begging and pleading for more showings! Everyone just hung out at the theatre some rehearsing other just toying around with the props. Jude, Sadie, Christian and Satine sat next to each other on the edge of the stage.

"Well, that was nice what you do opening night, Jude!" Christian said. "I think we're still trying to get the stench out!"

"Hey! I didn't plan of vomiting! I was planning on just acting sick so you could play the lead!" Jude said.

"Oh so you were just 'acting' eh?" Christian laughed. Jude nodded.

"Yes, of course! I was just acting like I was sick so you'd have to play along with Satine," Jude said.

"But we weren't acting when we said we loved each other," Satine said Christian grinned and wrapped his arm around her.

"Of course we weren't," Christian said.

"I'd hope not! After all that time we've plotted to get you two together, the stage was our last resort, but after you two had gotten together already somehow, we decided to do that just for fun," Sadie said.

"So did you send that man to attack me?" Satine asked. Jude and Sadie looked at her confused.

"What man?" Jude asked.

"Uh, Jack the…what was it?" Satine looked to Christian.

"Uh, Jack the Ripper I think," Christian said. Jude and Sadie's eyes widened.

"One, we wouldn't send anyone to attack you even to get you two together and two-" Jude started.

"You were attacked by Jack the Ripper?! Oh my god! Why didn't you say anything about that to us! Did you get a good look at his face? We can report him!" Sadie said. Satine and Christian exchanged a looked and they both smiled and laughed nervously.

"Uh, hehe," Christian said, "we kind of…uh…killed him, well I did anyway."

"What?!?!" Jude and Sadie both said at the same time.

"Well, he attack Satine and I got angry and I just sort of…killed him," Christian said.

"Thank God I am only your friend Satine!" Jude said. "Would you have killed me if I were more than a friend in that way to her?"

"Yes, I probably would," Christian mumbled.

"Hehe, jealousy, it's a pain in the ass…to whoever gets to see it from you," Jude laughed.

"So where did you hide the body?" Sadie asked. 

"In the pond/lake in the park a few miles away," Satine said pointing in the direction.

"Well, wasn't that a stroke of luck!" Jude said.

"SATINE! CHRISTIAN!" They heard yelling from out side the doors. All four turned their head to the doors.

"That sounded like-" Christian began.

"Zidler," Satine finished. "Let's go see, I have a few things to say to him."

"Me too," Christian said hopping down and helping Satine down. Jude and Sadie followed them. Satine pulled open the door and in came Zidler he hurriedly closed the door behind him.

"Hello, Satine, and Christian," Zidler said. Then he tipped his hap to Jude and Sadie. Then he noticed the cold looks all four of them were giving him. "Uh, I can explain everything."

"Can you? Well that's good, because you have a load of explaining to do," Satine said standing in front of Christian who seemed ready to kill Zidler. Then Satine walked to Zidler and gave him a hell of a mean right hook. "YOU BETTER START TALKING NOW BEFORE I MAKE YOU MUTE!"  
  


Satine shrieked and they all backed up immediately. Christian realized that Satine could do Zidler more harm than he could. He walked up behind Satine and placed his hands on her shoulders, "Calm down, Darling."

"What?" Satine got a regular look back in her eyes that a moment before, was filled with rage. "Oh, yes of course."

"Well Zidler? What have you to say in your defense for not telling me that Satine was alive or telling her that I was alive!" Christian said a little more anger showing in his voice than he wanted to show. Zidler got up.

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything, Christian," Zidler said. "And Satine, I truly didn't know he was alive when you woke up, I didn't go check. I didn't want to see Christian dead on the bloodied floor with half his head on the other end of the room."

"Well, thanks for caring," Christian said semi-sarcastically.

"I know, I should have told you for the benefit of your love," Zidler said a look of sorrow on his face. "But the Duke wanted to kill all the people in the play for making him seem like a fool; he didn't know Satine was 'dead.' You two were at the top of the list and he wanted to kill you two together. That's why I wanted you to leave quickly, Satine. Then a few days later I heard Christian was alive. I would've told him, but the Duke would soon find out and look for both of you. But in a few weeks, after I had paid back the Duke I was still in debt. I didn't know what to do, and then I heard one day that he was dead! The police ruled it out as a suicide. I am no fool; I knew who the killer was." He shot Christian a look, but Christian didn't seem to carry the guilt anymore, it's not like he ever did anyway. Zidler continued, "For a while I thought that it was safe, and I was working up on how to tell Christian you were still alive, Satine. But then I saw another obstacle, the Duke had an older brother, Jerald Champlain. He was out to get revenge for those he killed his brother, so I had to keep Christian hidden I couldn't let him out during the day."

"You still could have told us! Our love would overcome this obstacle!" Christian said holding Satine to him. Zidler shook his head.

"No, Christian, with the Duke out of the way, Jerald became the Duke, and he was already powerful enough to hire assassins to kill you. He didn't originally want to be the duke, but now that he has the responsibility he hates it. He heard of this play, he realized it was by you, Christian, the murderer of his younger brother! He saw also that Satine was in it, now he was on his way here or here already to kill you! I came to warn you, and I'm sorry I didn't say anything before!" Zidler said. Satine looked at Christian.

"You killed the Duke?" She gasped. Christian nodded.

"I have no guilt for it," Christian said. He looked at Satine and brushed his hand against her cheek and whispered, "I did it for you. Because I thought he was one of the reasons you 'died.'"

Satine smiled, "Thank you."

Zidler sighed, "Well, you two have your lives in danger and you don't seem to care."

"Of course they don't," Sadie said.

"They're madly in love, just like Sadie and me, nothing can bring them down now," Jude said pulling Sadie so close to him it looked like they were joined at the hip.

"But we should at least make some preparations to keep them safe!" Harold said. Jude and Sadie thought a moment then nodded in agreement.

"You're right; we should make some preparations for the worst. They may not care if they die, as long as they're together, but we do," Jude said.

"We don't want to loose our two best friends," Sadie said.

"What should we do?" Jude asked. Zidler laid out the plans to them as Christian and Satine walked to the back to the bedrooms in the theatre. 

~~In a Hotel~~

Old Champlain got into the most expensive and fanciest hotel in all of London near the West End Theatre.  He sat down to his desk and plotted on how he was going to kill these two people, the most grueling, painful way he could. Not grueling painful by physical harm, though that is a plus, but by their emotions. He wanted to kill them slowly inside and work his way out. He had to separate them, make them suffer.

Then he got it! He was going to wiggle his way into their lives slowly and make them put a lot of trust in him, he was going be their 'best friend' and then he was going to back stab. Yes, he had the plan! The plan was flawless in general he just needed to fill in the fine lines. 

He grabbed the phone and told the operator to contact an old friend he had in London. The phone rang then someone picked up.

"Mm?" Came a grunt from the other line.

"Marcus?" Old Champlain asked.

"Mm?"

"Hello Marcus, it's me, Champlain. How long has it been since you've worked?"

~~West End Theatre~~

Satine and Christian came back to Jude, Sadie and Zidler a few hours later dressed rather sloppily. 

"Hello again," Satine said as she sat on the edge of the stage next to Sadie. Christian sat right next to her. Jude, Sadie, Satine and Christian looked at Zidler who was sitting in the front row.

"I don't know how he works," he said. "I just know he will probably go for a painful revenge, to wreak as much pain as he can on you, probably through emotional ways."

"Let him bring it!" Christian said. "I can take anything with Satine next to me."

Zidler looked at him, "That's it! He'll probably try to break you two up! He'll probably try to break you up and then go for the kill!"

"Why would he want to kill what is dead?" Satine asked. "Breaking us up would be the death of us."

"He's mad with grief, he's a madman, we don't know what else he may do," Zidler said. "He's truly an insane man."

"Wait, wait," Sadie said. "Did you say his name is Jerald Champlain?"

"Yes."

Sadie gasped, "Oh my God! It's the head of Champlain publishers, the publishing company who published the book!"

Everyone was shocked silent.

In the back stage, four men listened to everything intently. The looked at each other and nodded. They went off out the back way.

~~Two weeks later~~

For two weeks Old Champlain had Marcus study the goings and doings of Satine and Christian. Now, Old Champlain thought he was ready to go in. 

Casually Champlain walked over to the West End Theatre on a rainy night that the play was not showing. He knocked on the door. Four men answered, he bowed lightly, "Hello gentlem-aaaaah!"

The four pulled him inside. Two tall ones held him down as a short one took a knife from another one looking out and held it to his neck.

"Do not lie to us," he said. "Are you Old Champlain?"

"Who wants to know?" Champlain asked.

"Toulouse," he spat back. Champlain nodded slightly. Toulouse smiled. "Good!"

Then he ran him through. Narky and Tork held him down with all they could to keep the guy from convulsing too violently. Satie just kept a look out, not wanting to see the dead body.

"What are we going to do with the body?" Narky asked. Tork and he stretched it out to make it look like it was in a coffin.

"We'll write a suicide letter and place it in his hand," Toulouse said. Then he took the other hand and put the knife in it. "Then we'll keep the knife lodged in his abdomen and place his hand on it, it'll look like suicide."

"Alright," Tork said he had already started to write the letter. He finished it and put it in Champlain's limp hand. "It won't stay in!"

"Hold it there a moment," Toulouse said. Then he took Champlain's hand and squeezed it shut with the letter inside. "A death grip."

Narky and Tork pulled the dead man up, and struggled out of the row of seats. Satie went outside, amazingly, for a night on London streets the street was rather empty. He nodded and motioned for them to be quick.

Quickly Narky and Tork and placed him outside, Narky smirked at him and waved, "Bye-bye ass hole!"

~~Next Day~~

A shriek from a woman woke up half of the theatre. Christian and Satine were awaken by it as well, that night they spent at the theatre since today they had work to do. They looked out the window and below they saw a crowd gathered in front of the theatre. They hurriedly got dressed and rushed out the door along with other workers at the theatre. 

A police man shoved his way through the crowd, "move! Move! Out of the way! I'm an officer here!"

He paused once he saw the dead body. He pried open the death grip on the note in Old Champlain's hand. He read it sighed and shook his head.

"It's a suicide, over heartbreak and stress. Nothing to see here people, move along with your business now," the officer said motioning for everyone to leave. "The workers of the theatre are busy working." He called to the young officer in his command, "Nicholas, call up the morgue men, get them up here to carry this body out of the street!" the officer nodded and went inside to use the phone. The Older officer turned to Director Cephus, "I'm terribly sorry about all of this sir. I hope this doesn't delay your usual show times for the play does it?"

Cephus shook his head, "Not unless the people of the morgue don't get here with in eight hours!"

The officer looked relieved, "Good, I've taken my wife to this show eight times already even I like it! Oscar Wilde himself says to go to this play. I'd certainly like to shake the hand of the lead actor, lead actress and the writer!"

"I'm they and this is she," Christian said. He shook the hand of the officer and then after the younger one came back they waited for the morgue people. The theatre workers went back inside to prepare for the play.

Zidler walked next to Christian, "Did you kill him?"

"What?" Christian asked.

"Did you kill him? That was Old Champlain you know!" Zidler said. Christian looked confused.

"No, I didn't! Satine is my witness; I was with her all night!" Christian said Satine nodded in agreement. "I didn't even know that was Old Champlain! I didn't recognize him! Wait, did you kill him?!"

"No! I would never!" Zidler said.

"How do you know he was killed then eh? You saw the letter, you heard the officer, it was a suicide!"

"No, I don't think he would kill himself when he was ready to get revenge!" Zidler said.

"Then I guess we'll never know who did it," Jude said walking up to them with Sadie.

"I guess not," Satine and Sadie said at the same time.

Near the stage Toulouse, Narky, Satie and Tork grinned. They didn't like having to kill, but they were glad now that Satine and Christian could be together safely forever. They wouldn't have to worry about people wanting revenge. Of course, the four bohemians didn't care that they didn't recognition for what they did, but for what they did they didn't want recognition. They were just glad that the love Satine and Christian held would last forever.

~~End Chapter~~

**~~End Story~~**

Well what did you think? Were you expecting me to actually go into long chapters about how Champlain would be close to winning? I didn't want to, because if I did I would loose interest! This way, it's short and it still is something fun for me to do.

Well that's that! And that's the end! I hope you enjoyed reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it for you! Well, thanks for reading it. Have a nice life!

Jester


	8. Epilogue

London Theatre!

Epilogue!

Disclaimer: yes, again I still do not own Moulin Rouge, except on VHS and I hope to get the DVD soon though so I can watch it on my laptop.

Pre-A/N: Well, I find that Tork is actually "The Doctor." Well, I will continue calling him Tork as a name, and we'll call the Unconscious Argentinean Narky (short for Narcoleptic Argentinean lol.)

A/N: Words in _italics_ with no quote marks ("" or '') around them are the thoughts of Satine.

Words in **_bold italics _**with single quote marks ('') around them are the thoughts of Christian.

Words in _italics_ with single quote marks ('') around them are the thoughts of Harold Zidler.

Words in _italics _with double quote marks ("") around them are past quotes from the last chapter(s) or from the movie.

~~Epilogue~~

In December they stopped showing A Love Which Will Last Forever even though crowds had shown up asking for it back, Christian would just say "Buy the book!"

Christian and Satine walked along the path in the park on a beautiful spring day in May. They walked near the lake and took a row boat out into the middle of the lake. Christian seemed to be a lot more nervous than usual. 

"What's the matter with you today, Christian?" Satine finally asked. Christian just seemed to utter few meaningless sounds. Then he took Satine's left hand in his. He got on one knee.

"S-Satine, I r-really love you. I loved you the moment I saw you, and I will love you forever, not until the end of time, not until my dying day, I'm going to love you forever, there is no end for my love for you," Christian said shaking a bit as the old rowboat creaked and groaned and shook in the water. Satine's eyes went huge. "Satine, will you, well will you marry me?"

"Oh Christian!" Satine gasped. "I- Yes! Yes!"

Christian smiled and stood up quickly and hugged her. Big mistake that was, getting up quickly in a row boat, they both toppled into the lake. They swam to the surface, once there they kissed and hugged and kissed some more. Christian grinned happily as he kissed her.

"I will love you forever," he said. Then he sang into her ear, "Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste, it all revolves you."

"And there's no mountain too high, no river too wide, sing out this song and I'll be there by your side," Satine sang back to him. "I will love you, forever and beyond."

Christian grinned wider and kissed her more passionately than ever before. Off the shore under the shade of some trees, two people sat side by side watching those two splashing and laughing in the water.

Jude turned to Sadie and stood up, "Let's take a walk."

"Alright," Sadie said getting up. Then Jude grabbed her and pulled her to him and held her up a bit.

"Marry me!" he demanded in a soft, beautiful voice.

"Is that a request or a demand?" Sadie asked. Jude kissed her.

"A request," he said. Sadie smiled. Then Jude set her down and in a soft voice he spoke between kisses, "Please, marry me, Sadie Carnell. Please, marry me. I love you more than I've ever loved a woman before! I will love you for all eternity, my love for you is like the love God has for us. I love you, Sadie please marry me!"

"Yes," She whispered and they kissed as passionately as Christian and Satine. 

~~Later~~

Toulouse invited all four of them to the West End Theatre, when they got there no one was in sight so they just took seats in the audience's chairs. Jude and Christian talked to each other on one of the theatre as Satine and Sadie talked to each other at the other end telling each other the good news. 

"How did you propose to her?" Jude asked. "I saw you and her go under after you shot up and hugged her."

"Oh hehe, proposing on a boat is hard," Christian said. "After the excitement of her saying yes you forget you're on a boat and you shoot up and hug her and kiss and then whoosh and splash you're in the lake!"

"Yes, that was rather funny to see," Jude laughed. Over the time Jude and Christian became best friends, the whole ordeal of Christian's jealousy of him was behind them and it was going to stay there!

"So, tell me Sadie, how did he propose to you?" Satine asked. Sadie chuckled.

"Well, it wasn't exactly an old fashioned proposal," Sadie said. "He kind of demanded it in a meek way. Lifted me up and said 'Marry me!'"

"Hehe, well I guess it wasn't old fashioned," Satine laughed lightly. "When do you expect to be married?"

"Well, I really just want to get married now," Sadie said. Satine nodded in agreement.

"Me too," Satine said. 

~~Backstage~~

"Alright you all know what you're supposed to do?" Toulouse said to a crowd of people. They all nodded and Toulouse grinned, "Good. Satie you have the rewritten version of the song?"

"Yes," Satie said. 

"Good," Toulouse said. "Now, places everybody!"

"That's my line!" Cephus said. 

~~~Front stage~~~

Narky came out from the curtain and yelled, "Christian, Jude come here quickly!"

Jude and Christian looked up and walked hastily to him on the stage. Narky grabbed them and threw them behind the curtain.

Satine and Sadie looked on with concern and started making their way to them but two other women stopped them and pulled them aside. They were confused, very confused.

The two women were wearing disguises so Satine and Sadie couldn't find out who they were. They seemed to quickly work about and laid out two long white dresses. Satine recognized one; it was the Hindu Courtesan dress. She gasped as she took it in her arms.

"Let's put these on," Satine said. Sadie was a little hesitant but did so. The two women came back in after they were done dressing and pulled them out and hurried them out the corridor to the entrance of the theatre. Then they opened the doors…

…and before them in the theatre they saw rows seated with many people, and many Satine recognized from the Moulin Rouge! They walked down the aisle and on the stage, oh Ra, the stage was beautiful! It was like when the premier of "Spectacular! Spectacular!" was in the Moulin Rouge, when it was suppose to be the time that The Courtesan was to marry the Maharajah. 

There on the stage in two penniless sitar suits stood Jude and Christian, behind them was an elder man in white robes holding a book. On either side of them were dancers, like the Hindu dancers and the same people from it too! Satine smiled remembering. They were helped on stage by two men dressed like Persian warriors. 

They walked up next to the men they were to marry. They said their vows and their "I do's" and they kissed. Then, from the rafters, fell Toulouse in his Sitar costume he yelled for all the theatre to hear, "THE GREATEST THING YOU'LL EVER LEARN IS JUST TO LOVE AND BE LOVED IN RETURN!!"

Christian and Jude smiled at their new wives and they sang:

"Never knew, I could feel like this,

Like I've never seen the sky before.

Want to vanish inside your kiss.

Everyday I love you more and more

Listen to my heart can you hear it sing?

Telling me to give you everything

Seasons may change,

Winter to spring

But I love you

Beyond the end of time

Come What May

Come What May

I will love you forever and beyond"

Satine and Sadie smiled and they sang back:

"Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place

Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace

Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste

It all revolves around you"

They all sang together and dances went on (like near the end of the movie):

"And there's no mountain too high

No river too wide

Sing out this song and

I'll be there by your side

Storm clouds may gather

And stars may collide

But I love you

I love you

Beyond the end of time

Come What May

Come What May

I will love you forever and beyond

Oh Come What May!

Come What May!

I will love you 

I will love you

Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place"

Everyone joined in the chorus (chorus is Come what may in parentheses):

"(Come What May!)

Come What May!

(Come What May!)

Come What May!

(Come What May!)

I will love you forever and beyond!!"

~~Nine Months Later~~

Sadie, Satine, Jude and Christian all looked in the glass smiling. 

"This is so wonderful," a nurse said as she passed by.

Satine smiled and she kissed Christian, "I'm really glad we did this together and look at what we made."

"Yes," Christian said. "We all did this together. Now they know the story."

They peered in at the window where a new book was on display entitled The Love That Overcame All Obstacles. Confused? Oh…did I make you believe that they were peering in at a baby? Good! It's a rip-off of what Barbra Novak did in her book Down With Love (the Movie-to-book version). Hehe, well, continue reading.

"Christian, I need to talk to you privately," Satine said pulling Christian aside. She kissed him a few times and whispered something in his ear. His eyes grew wide.

"I-I… you're…I'm going to be…a father?!" Christian gasped. Satine nodded, she looked like she was expecting an outrage, but Christian pulled her into a hug and lifted her off the ground and spun around laughing, "This is great! We're going to be parents! God, Satine I love you!" Satine laughed and Christian put her down and kissed her. He patted at her stomach lightly and leaned down, "Hello kid. I'm your father!"

Satine laughed. She kissed Christian and said, "I'm so glad you're taking this so well."

"I don't know how I could take it badly," Christian said as he nuzzled her neck. They told Jude and Sadie the good news. They congratulated each other and went out for a dinner to celebrate, Satine stayed away from the alcohol though.

~~Nine Months later~~

After fifteen hours of labor and pushing, finally their child came into the world crying like every other baby. The doctor wrapped it in a blue cloth and said, "It's a boy! Wait! There's another coming out! Push!" Satine pushed and after a few more minutes, the doctor took it out and yelled, "It's a girl!"

Christian smiled as he sat near his wife encouraging her, his hand was probably broken by now. He smiled as he kissed Satine, "Did you hear that Satine? We have twins!"

Satine smiled as she rested. They nurses handed Satine the twins. Satine smiled as she held them with the help of Christian, "They're so beautiful."

The boy had amazingly blue eyes and dark strands of hair. The girl had beautiful green eyes and light strands of red hair on her beautiful head.

"What should we name them?" Christian asked.

"The boy will be Jude Christian Adams," Satine said stroking the baby's cheek.

"Then the girl will be Sadie Satine Adams," Christian said as he carefully held his little girl, "my little girl."

The nurses filled the information on the birth certificate. Sadie and Jude were finally allowed in.

"Well, what are their names?" Jude asked hugging a very pregnant Sadie from behind.

"The boy is Jude Christian Adams and the girl is Sadie Satine Adams," Satine said. Sadie smiled.

"Thank you," she said. 

"Yes, thanks for actually thinking us worthy enough to name your children after us," Jude said smiling.

"And you can tell everybody, that this is your song," Satine and Christian sang softly to their two children. "I hope you don't mind, that I put don't in words how wonderful life is now you're in the world."

~~Two months later~~

Finally Sadie had given birth, coincidently, no by fate; she too had given birth to twins! The four best friends found it strange, and their names were Christian Jude Latter and Satine Sadie Latter.

Christian and Satine went back to Paris for a few months after Sadie had given birth to help Harold at the Moulin Rouge. With the money they had gained from book sales and theatre plays, Christian and Satine reopened the Moulin Rouge and then moved back to London.

Jude and Sadie went on to expand Jude's family business into publishing, and Sadie was the head editor and manager. They lived in a beautiful house, not a mansion, just a nice house, right next door to Christian and Satine. 

~~End Story~~

Well, I was thinking of just leaving it at chapter seven, but then decided, well, I guess it would be good to get in a marriage and baby birth! Yep so that was the epilogue for you! ^_^ Thanks for reading it all! I'm glad you liked it and I had a lot of fun writing it all for you!

BTW the version of Come What May is the version in the First CD Sountrack, not the original film version and I rearranged the words a little, not "until" just forever and beyond.

Jester

P.S. Thanks to the following for following my story throughout it all!

****

Thanks to:

Illy: My first reviewer!

MeNeSS: Gracias!

c: tank you

j: arigato

Rogue Raven: As always thanks for reviewing my stories!

Tani: Tears you say? Thank you for reviewing the majority of my chapters and liking them!

Diamond Absinthe: Gracias! **gives thee Absinthe**

Katie Black: **is squashed from huggles** Yesh, yesh, thank you..can't breathe….please…can't breathe gah! **passes out**

Jangler: Hello I am Jester's voice and once again she writes: "Thank you all, thank you thank thank you. Please visit my ewan McGregor site well tata and good day to you all. Thank again! Ra-damn it that 'thank you's strike back! Oh and I'll have a new MR! Fic called Moulin Rouge: A Comedy That Will Last Forever out soon I'm still working on it and trying to make it funny I doubt I'll succeed. Oh well Choose life choose a future (but why would I want to do any of that?) And as the IMDb Ewan McGregor Boards user say Choose life, Choose love, Choose a light sabre! Tata! Jester'"

Jester


End file.
